Does anyone know where I can find some instructions on this practice? I would really appreciate some help Thank you in advance. Metta, Ryan
Don't know any books right of hand, but if you respell it to Ngondro, you will find over 2,350 references on Google for "Ngondro Practice": www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/ndro.htm www.dhagpo-kagyu.org/anglais/science-esprit/chemin/medit/methodes/nongdro.htm www.drukpa.com/teachings/dharma/ngondro.htm http://clarity.awakeheart.net/articles/2005/11/26/ngondro-practice ... and the list keeps on going HTML: HTML: HTML:
Since ngondro is the preliminary for the tantric path it stands to reason that you have found a lama who has inspired such a practiced, in which case you will wish to do the ngondro of that lineage, such as say, Drikung, or Dudjum Tersar, Konchog Chidu, or so on, basically in the Nyingma and Kagyu Tibetan schools. Gelug and Sakya have the Lam Rim or graduated path, and so on.
Actually, I have never met a lama in this life. I've just learned through my own practice, books, and websites like this. I had just found mention of this practice in several places and wanted to learn more about it.
There's no point in taking half measures. In this life most failure comes through only putting a half hearted commitment into things. The Vajrayana demands that one has empowerments to practice. If you do not get your empowerments then you cannot really expect things to work out. Consider yourself pretending to be a baseball player outside the field. At some point you will truely desire to join the pros, or you will just remain an amateur, if that! Of course outside the Vajrayana there are no such restrictions for practice.
Yeah, you really need a teacher for this stuff. The importance of a teacher is emphasized in most Buddhist traditions, but if you plan to get into Vajrayana tantra, then it's not just important, it's crucial. At best, without a teacher, you'll get no benefit and just be wasting your time. The importance of transmission through a qualified teacher can't be understated. Empowerments and pointing out instruction are a bedrock part of this path, and you can't do that by yourself. I know that in a lot of places, access to lamas and such is not very good, so if you can't meet with one now, I would suggest sticking with meditation practice, mantra recitation (there are some that are fine to do without empowerment), and strengthening the quality of the mind. Cultivate bodhicitta, and work hard at it. That ought to keep you plenty busy. These things will come in very handy when you do find a teacher. There's a saying in many traditions that when you are ready, a teacher will appear, and I think there's a certain amount of truth to that.
