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Preface

I have written this book primarily for the benefit of Western Dharma practitioners with the hope that indirectly it will prove beneficial for all living beings.

As for how it was composed, I have based it on the slight experience I have gained through the kindness of my holy Spiritual Guide from whom I received instructions on the generation stage and completion stage of Secret Mantra. In addition, I have drawn material from Je Tsongkhapa’s Lamp Thoroughly Illuminating the Five Stages, which contains the quintessence of Je Tsongkhapa’s Tantric teachings, and also from Je Tsongkhapa’s commentary to the Six Yogas of Naropa. I have also consulted the first Panchen Lama’s root text on the Mahamudra, The Main Path of the Conquerors, and his autocommentary, Lamp of Re-illumination, as well as the Mahamudra texts of Kachen Yeshe Gyaltsen and Keutsang, and many other authentic works on Secret Mantra. Because I have incorporated the teachings of such great Masters, there is some reason to hope that this present book will be of considerable benefit.

To attain pure realizations of Mahamudra, it is not sufficient merely to read these instructions. First we must train in the stages of the path common to both Sutra and Tantra by relying upon texts such as Joyful Path of Good Fortune, and practise the various preliminaries so as to remove obstacles and accumulate merit. When we have some experience of renunciation, bodhichitta, and wisdom realizing emptiness, we should receive a Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment from a qualified Vajrayana Spiritual Guide and then strive to keep our vows and commitments purely. We should then train in generation stage practices and, once we have some experience of these, we should request a qualified Vajra Spiritual Guide to give us instructions on Vajrayana Mahamudra. If we then put these instructions into practice with faith and wisdom, we will definitely attain the realization of the Union of Mahamudra.

The importance of engaging in these preparatory practices and of cultivating an impeccable motivation before attempting to practise Vajrayana Mahamudra has been stressed by the great Masters of all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. It is most important that we do not engage in these practices with an impure motivation, wishing for personal gain, a good reputation, or the like, because, as Conqueror Vajradhara warned in the Tantras, the consequences of such actions will only be suffering, such as illness, a short life, mental obscurations, and rebirth in the lower realms. Therefore, from the outset we should cultivate a pure motivation of bodhichitta and engage in the practices of Vajrayana Mahamudra with the intention to become a Buddha for the benefit of all living beings.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso,

Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre,

1982.