The Tibetan words for these basic exercises is Chag Chen Ngöndro, literally “preparations for the Great Seal,” which is also known as Mahamudra. Mahamudra represents the culmination of all the practices of Tibetan Buddhism, including the Karma Kagyu.
Generally, the term ngöndro refers to the preliminary, preparatory or foundational practices common to all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism—Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug—with some variations among the schools. The ngöndro that is practiced in Diamond Way, under the guidance of Lama Ole, was composed by the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje (1556–1603).
Doing the Ngöndro, or these basic preparations, brings about countless good impressions in the store consciousness of mind. They remove all harmful impressions and fill the mind with a massive inner richness. While books on the practice of ngöndro are now available to the public, the lamas and rinpoches all say that one should receive the oral instructions from a teacher who has the required lineage transmission.
The Four Basic Thoughts
To lay the groundwork for Buddha’s Diamond Way, it is advisable to start with the Four Basic Thoughts. They orient mind towards Buddha’s teachings and contain both the way as well as the goal.
With the first Basic Thought, we understand that our current life offers precious opportunities to attain the timeless happiness of realization through working with mind and with our present circumstances. Very few beings have created the conditions and the karma necessary to come into contact with the highest teachings of Diamond Way Buddhism. The Tibetans say, “There is a lot of iron but little gold,” to illustrate how rare it is that the necessary eighteen conditions come together to obtain a “precious human body.” These are the conditions needed to be able to consciously walk the path towards realization for the benefit of all beings.
In order to practice the dharma, eight unfavorable conditions of rebirth must not occur—namely, being born:
- In the hell realms (states of paranoia, which, like all conditioned experiences, will eventually dissipate);
- In the ghost realms (states of extreme attachment and greed);
- In the animal realms (states of laziness and confusion);
- In the god realms (states in which all wishes on the levels of abstract thinking, perfect aesthetics and instant gratification thwart spiritual aspiration);
- In countries without Buddhist teachings;
- With deeply rooted wrong views (for example, in regards to cause and effect and especially the dangerous notion of socially-expected dishonesty, where because of cowardice people do not say what they feel or think, but rather give voice to what is socially desired at the moment);
- In dark eras during which no Buddha appears; and
- With physical or mental handicaps that make it impossible to understand and practice the teachings.
If a human birth is obtained without these eight obstacles, then ten favorable conditions are necessary to practice the dharma. Five of these come from outer circumstances:
- Despite all difficulties, a Buddha has taken rebirth in our historical epoch;
- He has passed on his teachings;
- Buddhism is still being taught;
- It has many followers; and
- Generous people support Buddha’s teachings and the practitioners on the way.
The final five conditions are self-generated through former actions. We need:
- A body free from the previously mentioned eight unfavorable conditions;
- Birth in a country where Buddhism is taught;
- A body and mind that can fully make use of the methods;
- Freedom from influences that lead to wrong views; and
- A deep confidence in Buddha, the teachings and the friends on the way (the Bodhisattvas).
When these eighteen conditions come together, one has the basis to practice the dharma.
With the second Basic Thought, we reflect on the impermanence of all things. Everyone who was born will also die at some point—this much is certain. The only uncertainty is when. For most people, the days and years merely trickle away. But once a person recognizes that the only thing that is lasting—that which cannot die or disappear—is the radiant and limitless space of mind, it becomes clear that this precious life must be used right now and that it is pointless to get attached to impermanent things.
In the third Basic Thought, we think about karma, the law of cause and effect. What people do, say and think today determine their future. Until high levels of realization are reached, a person has no free choice in what they experience. Although impressions constantly change—making them too unreliable to be taken seriously—they still lead the untrained around by the nose. If a person is feeling good, the world is beautiful and everything has meaning. But if they are annoyed or feeling bad, the same world appears gray and ugly. The world does not change, only the inner attitude of the observer. Nearly every perception is tied to the self.
Buddha’s methods enable us to consciously experience the richness of what is, unhindered by fluctuating moods. This experience generates confidence and increasingly more space in mind. The veils, expectations and ripening karma of beings condense as their outer and inner world. Only on the high levels of realization, beyond attachment to an “I,” does one stop seeing things through tinted glasses and instead experiences the richness of the world for what it is.
The fourth Basic Thought looks at the question, “Why work with mind?” The answer lies within two methods of getting the well-fed horse of habitual mind to move: (1) by holding a carrot in front of its nose, and (2) now and then giving it a smack on its behind. The carrot for our mind is knowing that enlightenment is better than any imaginable state. It is unconditioned in its essence and, once reached, can never disappear again. All beings who experience mind the way it is—beyond all concepts and expectations—confirm that enlightenment is highest bliss. And even if one hasn’t experienced the state of enlightenment oneself or cannot yet hold the experience in any lasting way, the idea of it is deeply inspiring.
But if we become sleepy or lazy, the stick is more useful. This is the understanding of what is experienced when the nature of mind is not recognized and, therefore, no lasting values are found: that one is at the mercy of sickness, old age, death, loss, speed limits and other kinds of suffering.
The carrot and stick best convey the fourth Basic Thought: Enlightenment—the full realization of mind—is timeless, highest bliss. And liberation, which develops on the way to enlightenment, arises when we no longer feel like the target. Neither in our body nor in our thoughts and feelings do we find a permanent self that is separate from the oneness of all phenomena. With this understanding, we are secure. And depending on our desire and conditions, we can also experience the world as a dream, which brings us close to enlightenment. If none of these levels is attained, one remains confined by a limited view.
This is why, after his enlightenment at the age of thirty-five, Buddha’s first teachings were about suffering. His statement, “There is suffering,” is not as pessimistic as the naive may initially think or as many universities still understand it to be. Instead, upon closer inspection, this statement points to mind’s inherent and limitless richness. Compared to the timeless bliss that is everyone’s ultimate nature, every conditioned experience is more or less suffering. Even the most beautiful moments in life only reveal fragments of insights into the state of enlightenment.
Buddha defined three kinds of suffering:
- The suffering of suffering is experienced when everything falls apart and there is no feeling of security on an inner or outer level. This suffering arises in cases of great loss, separation, unconquerable pain or while dying without having lasting values.
- The suffering of impermanence describes the inability to hold onto anything—that every happiness, beautiful and pleasant, will slip through our fingers.
- Finally, the suffering of ignorance is being unenlightened and, therefore, unable to understand the way things are. Because people are mostly busy with the first two coarse forms suffering, this third and finer form is rarely experienced. However, it is the true cause of all suffering and only dissolves with full enlightenment.
Through Diamond Way practice, we reach a level of highest clarity and joy beyond any fabrication or sticky sentimentality. This state is expressed in the first Foundational Practice as the refuge tree, in the second as the buddha form of Diamond Mind, in the third as the buddhas to whom we offer the mandalas, and in the final practice—invoking the lineage—as Karmapa’s black crown. Through this constant concentration on enlightened qualities, the habit of differentiating between inner (formless) and outer (phenomenal) truth disappears. Although mind has no inherent form, color or weight and exhibits no material characteristics that can be observed, it is nevertheless possible to experience its perfect qualities, which can be experienced as the different buddhas and their characteristics. When the beyond-personal level is reached, we simply rest in who we are. Once we understand that all beings want to be happy and avoid suffering, we work ceaselessly for their lasting benefit.
Introduction to Ngöndro
It is impossible to overstate the value of the Foundational Practices of the Diamond Way. They engage body, speech and mind to fulfill the human pursuit of inner equanimity, stability and meaning. Those who complete the many repetitions (4 x 111,111) will experience a significant leap forward in their development. They will rest much more effortlessly in what happens, rid themselves of old, difficult impressions, and plant new, positive impressions in mind. As a result, practitioners are able to shape possibilities in life in a fresh way for the good of all beings.
As supported by recent discoveries in quantum physics, space and information are inseparable and complete each other. Because all enlightened qualities are inherent in space and all beings, the way to enlightenment is fundamentally a matter of removing the veils that prevent us from fully experiencing this inner richness, our buddha nature, the space-insight that permeates everything and everyone. Buddha expressed this immensely promising perspective in this way: “We are all buddhas who just haven’t realized it yet.”
By dissolving the ego illusion, the first veil that keeps us from enlightenment, we become invulnerable. We understand that our body is impermanent and that our thoughts and emotions constantly change—that nothing exists which could be considered a real and lasting “I.” With this insight, we no longer feel like a target. We are beyond all suffering and limitations of the ego and simply observe what happens. This stage of development is called liberation and is the first goal of all Buddhist schools.
To reach the final goal of enlightenment—the ultimate development of body, speech and mind—the veil of limiting concepts also has to fall away. This happens when we recognize the outer world to be empty of any lasting existence and non-existence—that everything arises as conditions that come together, change and again disappear. Buddha described this full and boundless quality of mind in his teaching, “Form is emptiness; emptiness is form. Form and emptiness are inseparable.”
The realization that only timeless awareness is truly lasting will bring full enlightenment. Those who succeed in living free of mixed feelings and limiting ideas will reach Buddhahood and become a timeless refuge for others.
To enable people to experience this state of space and bliss, Buddha taught on three levels: the outer level of meaningful behavior, the inner level of a humanistic mindset of compassion and wisdom, and—for those who can understand and enjoy it—the secret level and highest view of experiencing everything as a pure land and the all-pervasiveness of buddha nature.
All these levels share the underlying insight that all phenomena are empty of any permanent nature—that everything appears as the richness of mind. From within this space, the experiencer, the object experienced and the experience itself manifest, play freely and again disappear. They not only arise as the free play of mind, but also make everything possible. Not only how but also what one experiences depends on one’s state of mind and previous actions. In other words, everyone chooses and influences their own world and that of others.
The emptiness of all phenomena can be experienced in a correct and an incorrect way—either through our totality or merely from the head. It is wrong to understand emptiness as a “nothingness” or a “black hole”; on the other hand, the right understanding gives rise to experiences of richness, freedom and unlimited space.
To attain this insight, two kinds of accumulations are needed. The first is a vast amount of useful impressions in our store consciousness. These are unwavering, powerful experiences that one can draw upon at any time. Since even fleeting experiences leave an impression, it is better if they are pleasant. Inner richness continually accumulates until one is unshakable, giving mind the confidence and desire to observe itself, to engage with itself and to enjoy its qualities.
The second accumulation is the development of wisdom. This isn’t the worldly knowledge that we are taught in school or at the university. It’s not about cramming more facts into one’s mind, but rather letting mind become effortless and relaxed. The key is to endlessly expand the first moment of an experience—before compartmentalizing the impressions into “like” or “dislike”—so that everything is experienced with freshness and immediacy. This enables us to act effortlessly and at the right moment. The accumulation of good impressions increases spontaneous insight, and the importance of useful behavior becomes clear. Inner richness, the capacity to see things clearly without a filter, and the ability to act beneficially based on what’s actually happening—these intertwined qualities are what the foundational practices activate and strengthen.
As the “Man of Action,” the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje taught this path of progressive practices used in the Karma Kagyu lineage. The result is the Great Seal teachings (Tibetan: Chag Chen, Sanskrit: Mahamudra)—highest enlightenment for the good of all beings. The Tibetan name, Chag Chen Ngöndro, translates as “Preparation for Mahamudra Practice,” in which enlightenment is the foundation, way and goal. In these practices, forms of energy and light appear in mind as an expression of enlightenment; we meditate on them, repeat their mantras, and, in the end, melt with them into space and awareness. This focuses mind to recognize its buddha nature. The foundational practices prepare the fertile soil for enlightenment. They free mind to experience the emptiness of all phenomena, inner as well as outer.
The purpose of the first practice—taking refuge with prostrations and developing the enlightened attitude—is to purify the inner energy channels and to build up power and trust. Prostrations are a very effective physical practice and mainly add to the accumulation of the needed good impressions.
The second practice, the Diamond Mind meditation, primarily purifies speech and mind. Habits that would lead to obstacles in our development lose their potency. Instead, tendencies like lying, gossiping and cheating others are transformed into life experience.
The delight that arises from the richness of the mandala offerings, the third Foundational Practice, makes the many repetitions appealing. We build up pure awareness, wisdom and meaningful actions in equal measure. Mandalas form in our mind as we offer to the buddhas all that is beautiful from countless universes. The melting phase is longer, and we clearly recognize the oneness of the giver, the buddhas we give to and the mandalas given. We recognize that the buddhas to whom we make the offerings and our own inner essence are one.
In the fourth practice, the meditation on the lama, we present ourselves to the buddhas. Purified and enriched, we ask to become part of the Karma Kagyu lineage. This method of guru yoga is the most important in Diamond Way. Its core is the meditation on the 16th Karmapa, or—later on our path—on other Karmapas, which are preceded by several wishes and precious explanations of the Great Seal. Building on the purification of the first two practices and the inner richness from the mandala offerings, the final practice becomes possible: melding the teacher’s body, speech and mind with our own. Our devotion is the bridge to the blessing of the lineage, which is now experienced without hindrance, through waves of the teachers’ compassion and wisdom. We practice this method of becoming one with our teachers and behaving like them until we can no longer take off the mask of the Buddha. It has become our own face.
The accumulation of good impressions is woven into all of the foundational practices. In the beginning, the emphasis is on purification, opening up and useful actions. Later, the focus is on becoming one with the enlightened mind of the teacher. By trusting in our own buddha nature, it becomes possible to continuously recognize it throughout the various stages of the Diamond Way.
This may all sound rather mechanical to those who haven’t yet worked with such practices. The best way to realize the nature of mind, however, is to steadily dig in the same spot. Scratching the surface in many different places results in mere dust. Even the smartest ideas do not provide a lasting refuge, and finding timeless values requires unequivocal clarity. Only the meaningful habits that become deeply ingrained in our mind and touch our totality will be of real help through life as well as in death. We are neither our body nor our accumulated experiences; rather, we are the radiant space that blesses and understands everything.
Just as the repetition of harmful habits and attitudes develops disturbances, the intentional repetition of liberating practices is the antidote. They remove the veils that block the true experience of mind and make us unshakable and strong. The 111,111 repetitions of each foundation practice do a superb job of fully removing misconceptions on the way and prepare us for the Mahamudra practice, the totally aware state beyond limitations and disturbances.
All four Foundational Practices were taught by the Buddha Gautama himself about 2,500 years ago. They first surfaced in their entirety 500 years later at universities in India, such as Nalanda. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries CE, when all that remained of the advanced Buddhist civilization in India—including the monasteries and meditation sites—was smoking rubble left by Muslim invaders1, practitioners who held the special tantric Buddhist transmissions had already gradually fled across the mountains to Tibet.
Through trade and other forms of contact, the Tibetan North and the Indian South were already well-connected. To some extent, the ancient shamanic religion of Bon in Tibet had already incorporated the concept of enlightenment. But it was the famous Guru Rinpoche who brought the entire body of teachings to Tibet around 750 CE, and it was his main consort, Yeshe Tsogyal, who then preserved them. Later, King Langdarma nearly destroyed the entire transmission. He reinstated Bon, which drew a large part of its power from animal sacrifices. Other than the termas, the “hidden treasures,” almost nothing was preserved from the “old transmission” of the teaching.
Buddhism in Tibet was later restored primarily through the work of Marpa the Translator. Between 1033 and 1070 CE, he crossed the passes of the Himalayas to India by foot three times. In all, he spent approximately sixteen years in India and brought the most important tantric teachings back to Tibet.
Ever since, the four foundational practices have been an integral part of Tibetan Buddhist culture. There are many Tibetans who have practiced the ngöndro their whole lives, doing as many as twenty-five times. By virtue of such indestructible experiences, these people radiate a special power that does not need to prove anything. They are unshakable—like a rock in turbulent waters. The 16th Karmapa sent Hannah and me to Kalu Rinpoche in order to learn these practices, and he gave an example to show us why it is beneficial to complete them more than once: a sock will not become clean if you only dip it into water one time.
The one-pointedness that is developed through the preliminary practices is already cultivated in the West through the drive to perform well in school and university. We in the West often have a stronger ability to concentrate than those who are mentally untrained. This acquired ability to focus inoculates a person against most of the seductions to which the simpler people in the East are especially susceptible. Thus, most Westerners may not need to complete twenty-five rounds of the Foundational Practices. But to enjoy them once is indispensable and to make them an integral part of one’s life is very powerful. So in our countries and cultures as well, I strongly advise using this recipe for success more than once.
“The accumulation of good impressions is woven into all of the foundational practices. In the beginning, the emphasis is on purification, opening up and useful actions. Later, the focus is on becoming one with the enlightened mind of the teacher. By trusting in our own buddha nature, it becomes possible to continuously recognize it throughout the various stages of the Diamond Way.”
While doing the foundational practices, we increasingly realize the magnitude of the refuge. By opening up to the blessing of the teacher, we can work with our mind and even “hitchhike” a fair distance on the way to enlightenment. This is a special characteristic of the Karma Kagyu lineage. However, this power can only be sustained through meditation. Meditation is what changes our experience of the world and ourselves.
Because the practices are neither easy nor quick to complete, the wish to meditate directly on mind may appear. Though it may be trendy to try learning this, it won’t work without adequate purification. This is why in the original Diamond Way Buddhism of Tibet, the calming meditations—called shinay or shamata—were only practiced after completing the Four Foundational Practices, or simultaneously in exceptional cases.
During an hour of meditation, most meditators actually experience clarity and joy for a few minutes at best. Most of the time they are following thoughts and feelings or wandering in the past or future. Simply sitting is not meditation. The goal of the practice is not to create a “white wall samadhi,” where one appears to be meditating on the outside but is sleeping on the inside. The goal is not to kill thoughts or freeze mind, but rather to discover the inherent richness of mind—its fearlessness, joy and compassion. According to Kalu Rinpoche, this kind of mere “calming” lowers our intelligence and can even lead to a rebirth as a big fish.
The foundational practices do not lead to sleepiness but instead turn mind into a diamond that radiates and shines. On the Diamond Way path, we use our totality: if mind becomes distracted, our speech is still with the mantra. And if our focus on the mantra weakens, at least our bodies hold the impressions of the methods. The practices purify body, speech and mind, and are the preparation for the state of clear awareness, the full unfolding of our potential.
Those who want to start these foundational practices should receive additional oral explanations from an experienced teacher and the transmission for the ngöndro from a lama.
Sources
Chandra, Satish. Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals, Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526): Part One. Har Anand Publications, 2007, 41.
Keown, Damien. A Dictionary of Buddhism. Oxford University Press,
2003, 119 and 169.
Khan, M. A. Islamic Jihad: A Legacy of Forced Conversion, Imperialism and Slavery. iUniverse, Bloomington, 2009.
Lal, K. S. Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India (A.D. 1000-1800).
Voice of India, New Delhi, 1973.
Saunders, Kenneth A Pageant of India. Oxford University Press, 1947, 162-163.
- As early as the eighth century, Arabian conquerors invaded present-day Pakistan. In a second, destructive wave from the eleventh century through the thirteenth century, Turkish and Mongolian Muslims overtook the northern Indian plains. Along the Silk Road in Afghanistan and in India, millions of “non-believers” were killed, raped, forcibly converted or enslaved in the pursuit of Islamic jihad. In 1202, the world-renowned Buddhist university in Nalanda was destroyed. ↩︎
