What we have discussed up to now concerning the complete stage has been in its first section: the basis situation. Next, the path to follow is divided into two:  The preliminary physical exercises, together with meditation on the body as an empty fenced-in pen The stages...

Set the proper motivation for listening to these teachings. Wish to be able to benefit all beings and, to do so, to achieve the state of full enlightenment. As stated previously, the six yogas or practices of Naropa are:  Tummo, inner heat Illusory body Clear light...

To purify ourselves of the various negative potentials that we have built up, it is necessary to do Vajrasattva meditation. To build up a great store of positive potential, there are the practices of guru-yoga, the methods to integrate with our spiritual master. These are the...

The Proper Motivation for Study and Practice  We should set the proper motivation for listening to these teachings on the six practices of Naropa (Na-ro chos-drug), popularly known as the “six yogas of Naropa.” Namely, we should dedicate our hearts to others and to...

Required Initiations The text continues with the actual subject matter, which is divided into the discussion of the generation stage and the complete stage. These are the ways to meditate so as to build up these various practices as beneficial habits of the mind. For these six...

The Salutation The text begins with the verse of salutation in which a distinction must be made between the eight qualities of Ishvara (dbang-phyug), the king of the gods, and the eight king-of-the-god types of qualities. The former are the qualities of the king of the gods,...

Three Divisions of the Complete Stage After the generation stage, we go on to the complete stage practices. This is explained in three divisions: The basis, or basic situation that we are dealing with The path to follow The result that is manifest. The Basis The first of...

Making Offerings Now, we’re up to making offerings. I present you with an ocean of clouds of assorted outer, inner, and hidden offerings: these I possess and those that nobody owns, both actually arrayed and mentally created. This fulfills the Amoghasiddhi bond to make...

Review  The six-session yoga practice is a way of helping us to fulfill our commitments from the anuttarayoga tantra initiation, by reminding us of the vows that we’ve taken and also the 19 closely bonding practices, or damtsig (dam-tshig), to make a close connection with...

Visualizing the Spiritual Master When it comes to visualizing the objects of safe direction, of refuge, then we visualize the spiritual master in the form of the yidam (the Buddha-figure) or in the form of Shakyamuni Buddha. However, more comfortable here would be in the form...