Visualizing the Field of Merit
Offering the Practice of the Seven Limbs
Making Praises and Requests
Receiving Blessings
Dedication
Appendix I The Condensed Meaning of the Text
Appendix II Sadhanas
Liberating Prayer
Offering to the Spiritual Guide
The Yoga of Buddha Heruka
Condensed Six-session Yoga
The Condensed Meaning of the Swift Vajrayana Path
Prayers of Request to the Mahamudra Lineage Gurus
Glossary
Bibliography
Study Programmes of Kadampa Buddhism
Tharpa Offices Worldwide
Illustrations
The line illustrations include the Mahamudra Lineage Gurus
Panchen Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen
Drubchen Gendun Gyaltsen
Drungpa Tsondru Gyaltsen
Panchen Losang Yeshe
Losang Trinlay
Drubwang Losang Namgyal
Panchen Palden Yeshe
Khedrub Ngawang Dorje
Ngulchu Dharmabhadra
Yangchen Drubpay Dorje
Khedrub Tenzin Tsondru
Dorjechang Phabongkha Trinlay Gyatso
Dorjechang Trijang Rinpoche Losang Yeshe
Dorjechang Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche (included at the request of faithful disciples)
Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka
Acknowledgements
This book, Great Treasury of Merit, is an extensive commentary to the profound traditional Guru yoga practice, Offering to the Spiritual Guide, the gateway through which we can accumulate the merit, or good fortune, necessary for successful Tantric practice. The book is based on detailed and authoritative oral commentaries given by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche during courses held first at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre through the winter of 1979-80, and then at Madhyamaka Kadampa Meditation Centre in 1986 and 1990. From the depths of our hearts we thank the author for his immeasurably great kindness in preparing this book, which will make these very precious and important teachings available throughout the world.
We also thank all the dedicated, senior Dharma students who helped the author to edit the book and prepare it for publication.
Roy Tyson,
Administrative Director,
Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre,
May 1994.
Vajradhara
Introduction
Offering to the Spiritual Guide, or Lama Chopa in Tibetan, is a special Guru yoga of Je Tsongkhapa that is related to Highest Yoga Tantra. It was compiled by the first Panchen Lama, Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen, as a preliminary practice for Vajrayana Mahamudra. Although the main practice is reliance upon the Spiritual Guide, it also includes all the essential practices of the stages of the path (Lamrim) and training the mind (Lojong), as well as both the generation stage and completion stage of Highest Yoga Tantra.
Guru yoga, or lamai neljor in Tibetan, is a special method for receiving the blessings of our Spiritual Guide. Here, the term ‘Guru’ does not imply that our Spiritual Guide should be Indian, nor does the term ‘Lama’ imply that our Spiritual Guide should be Tibetan. Our Spiritual Guide is any spiritual Teacher who sincerely leads us into spiritual paths by giving correct instructions. Thus our Spiritual Guide can be oriental or western, lay or ordained, male or female. These days, for example, it is quite possible to meet a Spiritual Guide who is a western lay female. The term ‘yoga’ in this context indicates a special way of viewing our Spiritual Guide.
All schools of Buddhism agree that the practice of Guru yoga, or relying upon a Spiritual Guide, is the root of the spiritual path and the foundation of all spiritual attainments. We can understand this from our ordinary experiences. For example, if we want to acquire special skills, become proficient at a particular sport, or learn to play a musical instrument well, we naturally seek a qualified teacher to instruct us. By following our teacher’s example and sincerely applying his or her instructions, eventually we accomplish our aim and become just like our teacher. If reliance upon a qualified teacher is necessary for mundane achievements such as these, how much more necessary is it for spiritual attainments such as liberation or enlightenment?
There are two main streams within Buddhism: the Hinayana, or Lesser Vehicle, and the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle; and the practice of relying upon a Spiritual Guide is fundamental to both. According to the Hinayana, we should regard our Spiritual Guide as being like a Buddha and, with a mind of faith and devotion, offer gifts and service to him or her and repay his kindness by following his advice and practising his instructions. According to the Mahayana, however, we should regard our Spiritual Guide as an actual Buddha and, with a mind of faith, rely upon him sincerely in both thought and deed.
The ultimate goal of a Hinayana practitioner is the attainment of liberation. This depends upon practising the three higher trainings, and this in turn depends