preliminary practices (ngöndro)
Preliminary practices, such as prostrations and recitation of the Vajrasattva mantra, done before undertaking major tantric practices.
Latest Posts
View all posts in Venerable Thubten Chodron's teaching archive.
Dharma refuge
How to purify wrong views about the Buddha's teachings when engaging in the preliminary practice…
View Post
Purifying our negativities
How to use the preliminary practice (ngöndro) of taking refuge to purify our negativities.
View Post
How to see the guru
How to purify our relationship with our spiritual mentors when engaging in the preliminary practice…
View Post
Visualizing sentient beings
How to visualize other sentient beings as part of the preliminary practice (ngöndro) of taking…
View Post
Visualizing the Three Jewels
How to visualize the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as part of the preliminary practice (ngöndro)…
View Post
Visualizing the Buddha
Commentary on a verse from the Lama Chӧpa Jorchӧ Puja on how to visualize the…
View Post
Visualizing the merit field
How to visualize the merit field of holy beings as part of the preliminary practice…
View Post
Taking refuge in the guru
How to take refuge in the guru as part of the preliminary practice (ngöndro) of…
View Post
Preliminary practice (ngöndro) overview
An introduction to the practices that help clear and purify our minds so that we…
View Post
Explanation of the Dorje Khadro fire offering
Visualizations of empowering deities, offering and praise, mantra explanation, and ending instructions for the Dorje…
View Post
Chenrezig retreat discussion: Part 2
A discussion on the many aspects of karma; purifying negative actions through four opponent powers.
View Post
How to do the Dorje Khadro practice
Introduction to the Dorje Khadro fire offering and a description and explanation of the practice.
View Post