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Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche

Lama - The Source of Blessing

Vienna October 1987

Buddhist teachings can be divided into the sutra path and the tantra path The sutra path is

based on causes and the tantra path is based on fruit Both are about using a path to free us

from the dualistic view in order to reach the state of liberation On the sutra path first the

cause for a dualistic view is analyzed One finds that the root for this is clinging to an I our

ignorance Then one goes on analyzing Where does this idea come from What is the essence

of clinging to an I What are its signs What is its cause etc Finally one comes to the

conclusion that ones own identity does not truly exist On the sutra path one starts from the

understanding that now we are in a state full of suffering and one looks for the cause of this

suffering One finds that the cause is the various actions one did before Then one questionswhat led to these actions and their resulting karma One finds that the cause is our disturbing

emotions which again are caused by our dualistic view and our clinging to an I Thus one

comes to the point where one recognizes that clinging to the I is the cause of all our

experiences Based on this understanding one follows the sutra path in which one primarily

maintains the rules of discipline with body and speech Also one comes to an understanding

of the mutual dependence of all things and that they do not inherently exist Thirdly one tries

to attain a benevolent attitude toward other beings Therefore on the sutra path one proceeds

by analyzing things investigating the causes Based on understanding which results from that

one applies different methods Thereby one reaches the point where one becomes free from

suffering One attains liberation and the state of omniscience as well However this path is

very long It is said that the bodhisattva path takes three endless kalpas to attain buddhahoodOn the tantra path Vajrayana one proceeds in a completely different way One doesnt

analyze causes one works directly with ones own experiences For example when disturbing

emotions come up one doesnt analyze their cause but experiences them directly and comes

to the point where one is able to transform them For that reason it is said that this path works

with the fruit and is therefore a very fast path The result which is attained through both paths

is the same one becomes liberated from suffering and inner disturbances subside one attains

realization The difference between the paths is only the way in which one practices The

tantra path starts from different conditions than the sutra path This path is only suitable for

practioners with the highest capacities since one works directly with disturbing emotions

without analyzing their causes On the other hand it is also said that in this degenerated time

this path is suitable for people with the strongest disturbing emotions The reason is that these people dont have the patience to accumulate merit over a long period of time and to practice

the bodhisattva path They simply cannot manage it If one really can practice the tantra path

and is able to deal with the disturbances in ones mind it is a very fast path Nevertheless one

will not reach buddhahood in a few days or years It is always said that the Vajrayana is about

bringing impure experiences and appearances to a pure level However this does not mean

that this transformation consists only in thinking or believing that things are pure It is rather

about real transformation In order to be able to do this one needs the three roots (sources)

of blessing accomplishment and activity The root of blessing is the lama The root of

accomplishment (siddhis) is the yidam The root of activity is the dharma protectors The

lama is the most important of the three roots Yidams and protectors are manifestations of the

lama No yidam or protector is separate from the lama For that reason the lama has a very

special meaning in the Vajrayana In order to understand this it is beneficial to look again at

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the sutra path Here one relies on a teacher or spiritual friend who shows one the way

According to their explanations one practices and in that way one progresses through the

various bodhisattva levels and five paths (accumulation junction seeing meditation no more

learning) In the Vajrayana the teacher has a much more important significance One does not

see him simply as one who shows the way but one sees him as the Buddha himself With this

attitude the blessing of the lama can directly enter ones mind mature and awaken onesmindstream In order to make this possible two elements are needed On the one hand one has

to practice and on the other hand one has to open to the lama and really see him as the

Buddha On the sutra path one deals with ones actions very consciously One puts effort into

avoiding all negative actions and only doing positive things But since one is always

accompanied by ones own ignorance and since one has various disturbances one never

succeeds completely and always does something negative again The sutra path takes so long

because the striving for positiveness and the disturbances in the mind which tempt us to do

negative actions are always in conflict which each other On the tantra path however there is

an additional element in connection with the lama In the true nature of mind there is no

confusion to be found it is only the way we experience things which is marked by confusion

If we open ourselves to the lama filled with trust and therefore get his blessing our mind will be guided to maturity This means that through the power of blessing we are able to recognize

the true nature of our mind Thus the lama - the source of blessing - is so important in the

Vajrayana and is called the first root In order to get the blessing several things are

necessary On the one hand one needs to develop full trust and complete devotion toward the

lama However this does not refer to just any lama It refers to the one we have chosen after

having extensively checked several teachers It refers to the lama in whom we are sure we can

develop complete trust On the other hand the lama should check the practitioner as well in

order to be sure that he is really able to help him If one has attained certainty that one can

develop this complete openness toward a lama it should give rise to an unshakable trust It

should really be as unshakable and as indestructable as a diamond If one is able to do that

the result is not being influenced and disturbed anymore by common thoughts This

unshakability of trust is also the reason for the name Vajrayana diamond-vehicle because

this trust is like a diamond - indestructable Many people erroneously believe that there is no

difference between a Vajrayana teacher and other teachers A common teacher can show one

the path in a perfectly pure and clear way and explain how to behave how things are etc A

Vajrayana teacher however is somebody who does not work and teach only with words but

on all levels With bodily behavior with verbal teachings and through the inspiration of his

mind he can lead the mindstream of others towards maturity and liberation Only someone

with this capacity is an authentic Vajrayana teacher There are many common teachers but

only few can be called a teacher in the Vajrayana In the prayer of Dorje Chang it is said that

devotion is the head of meditation This refers to the devotion which should be developed inthe Vajrayana- a kind of devotion which completely and naturally awakens in oneself without

imagination or fooling oneself When it appears in ones mind common thoughts subside

through the blessing of the lama and the experience of meditation arises naturally without

putting any effort into meditation Then the inspiration of the body speech and mind of the

lama can be effective in oneself There is the quotation of earlier Kagyu masters that the

preliminary practices - the Ngondro are more profound than all other practices This

statement refers much more to the Guru-Yoga then to the prostrations Dorje Sempa or

mandala offerings because here one receives the inspiration of the lamas blessing For the

practices like Mahamudra or the developing phases in connection with yidam practices or

the completion phases - the Six Yogas of Naropa - which are all based on the Ngondro it is

always necessary to prepare ones mind properly This happens through the blessing oneexperiences in Guru Yoga Only through this is one able to bring impure experiences to a

8142019 Lama Jamgoumln Kongtrul Rinpoche

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pure level and to work correctly with the other practices The devotion one should have

toward the lama is more than ones feeling when seeing a certain teacher who behaves in a

pleasant way toward oneself If the lama smiles or speaks in a pleasant way a feeling of

devotion may arise but this is called the arising of a feeling due to various conditions The

aspired devotion toward the lama however is a deep inner feeling which is independent from

such outer conditions In the beginning of course it still depends on outer things then it becomes an inner feeling which awakens independently from outer conditions and momentary

experiences Only when this completely deep devotion and this unshakable trust have arisen

can the blessing work in a way so that common thoughts and the like calm down naturally

There are descriptions about the signs of devotion tears appear in the eyes and the hair on the

body stands upright But for this to happen it is necessary that one has a connection to ones

lama for many lifetimes to build it up in one lifetime is impossible Only if one receives the

authentic blessing is one in the position to realize the authentic fruit the ultimate

accomplishments the highest siddhis If one tries to forcefully build up an artificial feeling of

devotion and trust the blessing and the inspiration will be only imaginary and artificial and

so will the fruit (result) Teachers themselves are just human beings They have a body They

are sometimes in a good or a bad mood They are sometimes angry sometimes sad etcWithout real trust and unshakable devotion one will be influenced by these things and feel

insecure One will wonder why the experience of meditation today is not as strong as the

experience yesterday one becomes unstable and insecure in ones confidence All this results

from the fact that devotion and trust are not yet really unshakable When one talks about

reaching the highest accomplishments it is not something outer or something new one attains

It is the realization of the nature of ones own mind One has attained the highest

accomplishments when one is free of all momentary changing states and conditions and when

one has realized the mind as it really is Blessing is the ability to bring the mind of other

sentient beings to maturity and to liberate them Blessing does not have any form nor any

specific symbol of expression Although during empowerments different symbolic objects are

used the actual blessing is that one becomes free of the idea that someone receives a blessing

and is given a blessing This is the ultimate empowerment and the real blessing Everything

else is just symbols and examples for the receiving of blessing

Source

Kagyu LifeInternational No3 1995

wwwdiamondwayorg

8142019 Lama Jamgoumln Kongtrul Rinpoche

httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllama-jamgoen-kongtrul-rinpoche 23

the sutra path Here one relies on a teacher or spiritual friend who shows one the way

According to their explanations one practices and in that way one progresses through the

various bodhisattva levels and five paths (accumulation junction seeing meditation no more

learning) In the Vajrayana the teacher has a much more important significance One does not

see him simply as one who shows the way but one sees him as the Buddha himself With this

attitude the blessing of the lama can directly enter ones mind mature and awaken onesmindstream In order to make this possible two elements are needed On the one hand one has

to practice and on the other hand one has to open to the lama and really see him as the

Buddha On the sutra path one deals with ones actions very consciously One puts effort into

avoiding all negative actions and only doing positive things But since one is always

accompanied by ones own ignorance and since one has various disturbances one never

succeeds completely and always does something negative again The sutra path takes so long

because the striving for positiveness and the disturbances in the mind which tempt us to do

negative actions are always in conflict which each other On the tantra path however there is

an additional element in connection with the lama In the true nature of mind there is no

confusion to be found it is only the way we experience things which is marked by confusion

If we open ourselves to the lama filled with trust and therefore get his blessing our mind will be guided to maturity This means that through the power of blessing we are able to recognize

the true nature of our mind Thus the lama - the source of blessing - is so important in the

Vajrayana and is called the first root In order to get the blessing several things are

necessary On the one hand one needs to develop full trust and complete devotion toward the

lama However this does not refer to just any lama It refers to the one we have chosen after

having extensively checked several teachers It refers to the lama in whom we are sure we can

develop complete trust On the other hand the lama should check the practitioner as well in

order to be sure that he is really able to help him If one has attained certainty that one can

develop this complete openness toward a lama it should give rise to an unshakable trust It

should really be as unshakable and as indestructable as a diamond If one is able to do that

the result is not being influenced and disturbed anymore by common thoughts This

unshakability of trust is also the reason for the name Vajrayana diamond-vehicle because

this trust is like a diamond - indestructable Many people erroneously believe that there is no

difference between a Vajrayana teacher and other teachers A common teacher can show one

the path in a perfectly pure and clear way and explain how to behave how things are etc A

Vajrayana teacher however is somebody who does not work and teach only with words but

on all levels With bodily behavior with verbal teachings and through the inspiration of his

mind he can lead the mindstream of others towards maturity and liberation Only someone

with this capacity is an authentic Vajrayana teacher There are many common teachers but

only few can be called a teacher in the Vajrayana In the prayer of Dorje Chang it is said that

devotion is the head of meditation This refers to the devotion which should be developed inthe Vajrayana- a kind of devotion which completely and naturally awakens in oneself without

imagination or fooling oneself When it appears in ones mind common thoughts subside

through the blessing of the lama and the experience of meditation arises naturally without

putting any effort into meditation Then the inspiration of the body speech and mind of the

lama can be effective in oneself There is the quotation of earlier Kagyu masters that the

preliminary practices - the Ngondro are more profound than all other practices This

statement refers much more to the Guru-Yoga then to the prostrations Dorje Sempa or

mandala offerings because here one receives the inspiration of the lamas blessing For the

practices like Mahamudra or the developing phases in connection with yidam practices or

the completion phases - the Six Yogas of Naropa - which are all based on the Ngondro it is

always necessary to prepare ones mind properly This happens through the blessing oneexperiences in Guru Yoga Only through this is one able to bring impure experiences to a

8142019 Lama Jamgoumln Kongtrul Rinpoche

httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllama-jamgoen-kongtrul-rinpoche 33

pure level and to work correctly with the other practices The devotion one should have

toward the lama is more than ones feeling when seeing a certain teacher who behaves in a

pleasant way toward oneself If the lama smiles or speaks in a pleasant way a feeling of

devotion may arise but this is called the arising of a feeling due to various conditions The

aspired devotion toward the lama however is a deep inner feeling which is independent from

such outer conditions In the beginning of course it still depends on outer things then it becomes an inner feeling which awakens independently from outer conditions and momentary

experiences Only when this completely deep devotion and this unshakable trust have arisen

can the blessing work in a way so that common thoughts and the like calm down naturally

There are descriptions about the signs of devotion tears appear in the eyes and the hair on the

body stands upright But for this to happen it is necessary that one has a connection to ones

lama for many lifetimes to build it up in one lifetime is impossible Only if one receives the

authentic blessing is one in the position to realize the authentic fruit the ultimate

accomplishments the highest siddhis If one tries to forcefully build up an artificial feeling of

devotion and trust the blessing and the inspiration will be only imaginary and artificial and

so will the fruit (result) Teachers themselves are just human beings They have a body They

are sometimes in a good or a bad mood They are sometimes angry sometimes sad etcWithout real trust and unshakable devotion one will be influenced by these things and feel

insecure One will wonder why the experience of meditation today is not as strong as the

experience yesterday one becomes unstable and insecure in ones confidence All this results

from the fact that devotion and trust are not yet really unshakable When one talks about

reaching the highest accomplishments it is not something outer or something new one attains

It is the realization of the nature of ones own mind One has attained the highest

accomplishments when one is free of all momentary changing states and conditions and when

one has realized the mind as it really is Blessing is the ability to bring the mind of other

sentient beings to maturity and to liberate them Blessing does not have any form nor any

specific symbol of expression Although during empowerments different symbolic objects are

used the actual blessing is that one becomes free of the idea that someone receives a blessing

and is given a blessing This is the ultimate empowerment and the real blessing Everything

else is just symbols and examples for the receiving of blessing

Source

Kagyu LifeInternational No3 1995

wwwdiamondwayorg

8142019 Lama Jamgoumln Kongtrul Rinpoche

httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllama-jamgoen-kongtrul-rinpoche 33

pure level and to work correctly with the other practices The devotion one should have

toward the lama is more than ones feeling when seeing a certain teacher who behaves in a

pleasant way toward oneself If the lama smiles or speaks in a pleasant way a feeling of

devotion may arise but this is called the arising of a feeling due to various conditions The

aspired devotion toward the lama however is a deep inner feeling which is independent from

such outer conditions In the beginning of course it still depends on outer things then it becomes an inner feeling which awakens independently from outer conditions and momentary

experiences Only when this completely deep devotion and this unshakable trust have arisen

can the blessing work in a way so that common thoughts and the like calm down naturally

There are descriptions about the signs of devotion tears appear in the eyes and the hair on the

body stands upright But for this to happen it is necessary that one has a connection to ones

lama for many lifetimes to build it up in one lifetime is impossible Only if one receives the

authentic blessing is one in the position to realize the authentic fruit the ultimate

accomplishments the highest siddhis If one tries to forcefully build up an artificial feeling of

devotion and trust the blessing and the inspiration will be only imaginary and artificial and

so will the fruit (result) Teachers themselves are just human beings They have a body They

are sometimes in a good or a bad mood They are sometimes angry sometimes sad etcWithout real trust and unshakable devotion one will be influenced by these things and feel

insecure One will wonder why the experience of meditation today is not as strong as the

experience yesterday one becomes unstable and insecure in ones confidence All this results

from the fact that devotion and trust are not yet really unshakable When one talks about

reaching the highest accomplishments it is not something outer or something new one attains

It is the realization of the nature of ones own mind One has attained the highest

accomplishments when one is free of all momentary changing states and conditions and when

one has realized the mind as it really is Blessing is the ability to bring the mind of other

sentient beings to maturity and to liberate them Blessing does not have any form nor any

specific symbol of expression Although during empowerments different symbolic objects are

used the actual blessing is that one becomes free of the idea that someone receives a blessing

and is given a blessing This is the ultimate empowerment and the real blessing Everything

else is just symbols and examples for the receiving of blessing

Source

Kagyu LifeInternational No3 1995

wwwdiamondwayorg