Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga (Ganden Lha Gyäma)

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India 1986 (Archive #266)
Ganden Lha Gyäma: The Hundreds of Deities of the Land of Joy

In this commentary, Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches on the Ganden Lha Gyäma practice, often translating the Tibetan verses line-by-line. The teachings were given by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India at the end of the Second Enlightened Experience Celebration held in March 1986.

The teachings were edited and assembled in this format by Uldis Balodis. First published by Uldis Balodis and Kopan Monastery in 1990. Lightly revised by Sandra Smith, September 2020. Tibetan terms checked and revised by Ven. Gyalten Lekden, September 2020. This commentary is now available for download as a PDF file.

Please note: A Highest Yoga Tantra initiation is not required for Ganden Lha Gyäma practice, however, this teaching includes specific instructions suitable for Highest Yoga Tantra initiates. Rinpoche also teaches on more general lamrim topics including the preliminary practices, refuge and karma.

3. Preliminary Prayers
Request to Abide at the Heart2

Päl dän tsa wäi la ma rin po che
D
ag gi nying khar pä möi teng shug la
K
a drin chen pöi go nä je zung te
K
u sung thug kyi ngö drub tsäl du söl1

Magnificent and precious root Guru,
Please abide on the lotus seat at my heart,
Guide me with your great kindness,
And grant me the realizations of your holy body, speech, and mind.

Päl dän tsa wäi la ma rin po che
D
ag gi nying khar pä möi teng shug la
K
a drin chen pöi go nä je zung te
C
hog dang thün mong ngö drub tsäl du söl

Magnificent and precious root Guru,
Please abide on the lotus seat at my heart,
Guide me with your great kindness,
And grant me the supreme and common realizations.

Päl dän tsa wäi la ma rin po che
D
ag gi nying khar pä möi teng shug la
K
a drin chen pöi go nä je zung te
Jang chub nying pöi bar du tän par shug

Magnificent and precious root Guru,
Please abide on the lotus seat at my heart,
Guide me with your great kindness,
And remain steadfast until I attain the essence of enlightenment.

Short Mandala Offering

Sa zhi pö kyi jug shing me tog tram
Ri rab ling zhi nyi dä gyän pa di
Sang gyä zhing du mig te ül wa yi
Dro kün nam dag zhing la chö par shog

This ground, anointed with perfume, strewn with flowers,
Adorned with Mount Meru, the four continents, the sun and the moon:
I imagine this as a buddha land and offer it.
May all transmigratory beings enjoy this pure land.

Refuge and Bodhicitta

Sang gyä chö dang tshog kyi chog nam la
Jang chub bar du dag ni kyab su chi
Dag gi jin sog gyi päi tshog nam kyi
Dro la phän chir sang gyä drub par shog
(3x)

I take refuge until I am enlightened
In the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly.
By my merits of generosity and so forth,
May I become a buddha to benefit transmigratory beings. (3x)

Above your crown is the root guru in the form of Tsongkhapa, the embodiment of the guru, buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. A similar Lama Tsongkhapa is seated on the crown of each sentient being. Nectar beams are emitted which purify the two obscurations of yourself as well as all sentient beings, and which then generate all the realizations.

Nine-Line Migtsema

Ngö drub kün jung thub wang dor je chang
Mig me tse wäi ter chen chän rä zig
Dri me khyen päi wang po jam päl yang
Dü pung ma lü jom dzä sang wäi dag
Gang chän khä päi tsug gyän lo zang drag
Kyab sum kün dü la ma sang gyä la
Go sum gü päi go nä söl wa deb
Rang zhän min ching dröl war jin gyi lob
Chog dang thün mong ngö drub tsäl du söl
Nyur du khye rang ta bur jin gyi lob]

Vajradhara, lord of sages, source of all realizations;
Avalokiteshvara, great treasure of nonobjectifying compassion;
Manjushri, master of stainless wisdom;
Lord of Secrets, destroyer of the entire host of maras;
Losang Dragpa, crown ornament of the sages of the Land of Snow:
To you, Guru-Buddha, embodying the three refuges,
I make requests respectfully with my three doors.
Please bless me and others to be ripened and liberated.
Please bestow the supreme and common realizations.
[Please bless me to quickly become like you.]

Dedication: To Be Like Lama Tsongkhapa in All Our Future Lives

Päl dän la ma khye ku chi dra dang
Khor dang ku tshei tshä dang zhing kham dang
Khye kyi tshän chog zang po chi dra wa
De dra kho nar dag sog gyur war shog

Glorious Guru, whatever your body,
Retinue, life span, and realm,
Whatever your supreme and excellent name,
May I and others become exactly like that.

OM AH GURU VAJRADHARA SUMATI KIRTI SIDDHI HUM

At the end of each of these prayers you can think that nectar flows from Lama Tsongkhapa—the embodiment of all gurus, buddhas, Dharma and Sangha—above your crown, and enters your body and mind; also nectar flows from the Lama Tsongkhapa seated above the crown of each of the sentient beings of the six realms and enters their bodies and minds and purifies them and generates all the realizations from guru devotion up to enlightenment.


Notes

1 The prayers in this commentary have been updated according to FPMT’s Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga practice booklet, 2017 edition, and FPMT Retreat Prayer Book, 2016 edition. [Return to text]