Guru yoga
In Vajrayana, guru yoga (Tib: bla ma'i rnal 'byor) is a
tantric devotional practice in which the practitioner
unites their mindstream with the mindstream of the body,
speech, and mind of their guru.[1] Guru yoga is akin to
deity yoga since the guru (who can be a Buddha, a
historical figure like Padmasambhava, or a living person)
is visualized in the same manner as with a meditational
deity. The process of guru yoga may entail visualization
of a refuge tree as an invocation of the lineage, with the
'root guru' channeling the blessings of the entire lineage
to the practitioner. The guru may be visualized as above
the meditator, in front of them, or in their heart. Guru
yoga may also include a liturgy, prayer, or mantra, such
as the "Seven Line Prayer" of Padmasambhava, or the
"Migtsema" (a prayer to Je Tsongkhapa).[2]
Background
As in other Buddhist traditions, an attitude of reverence Thangka depicting the Refuge Tree of the
for the teacher, or guru, is highly prized.[a] A guru or Karma Kagyu Lineage by Sherab Palden
lama is seen as an essential guide during tantric practice. Beru, c. 1972
Without the guru's example, blessings, and guidance,
genuine progress in tantra is held to be impossible for all
but the most keen and gifted. One particular feature of the Tantric view of teacher student relationship is
that in Tibetan Buddhist tantra, one is instructed to regard one's guru as an awakened Buddha.[3]
At the beginning of a public teaching, a lama will do prostrations to the throne on which he will teach due
to its symbolism, or to an image of the Buddha behind that throne, then students will do prostrations to
the lama after he is seated. Merit accrues when one's interactions with the teacher are imbued with such
reverence in the form of guru devotion, a code of practices governing them that derives from Indian
sources.[b] By such things as avoiding disturbance to the peace of mind of one's teacher, and
wholeheartedly following his prescriptions, much merit accrues and this can significantly help improve
one's practice.
See also
Bhakti yoga – Devotional path to moksha in Hinduism
Guru in Buddhism – "Weighty with qualities"
Guru puja – Similar devotional ritual in Hinduism
Mahamudra – Union of wisdom and emptiness
Samaya – Vows that binds guru and disciple
Notes
a. Lama is the literal Tibetan translation of the Sanskrit guru. For a traditional perspective on
devotion to the guru, see Tsong-kha-pa 2000, pp. 77–87. For a current perspective on the
guru-disciple relationship in Tibetan Buddhism, see Berzin n.d.
b. Notably, Gurupancasika, Tib.: Lama Ngachupa, Wylie: bla-ma lnga-bcu-pa, "Fifty Verses of
Guru-Devotion" by Aśvaghoṣa.
References
Citations
1. Patrul Rinpoche (1994), p. 416.
2. Patrul Rinpoche (1994), p. 442.
3. Kapstein (2014), p. 80.
Works cited
Berzin, Alexander (n.d.). "The Rise of Confusion in the Student-Teacher Relation" (http://stu
dybuddhism.com/web/x/nav/group.html_1305527811.html). Study Buddhism. Retrieved
2021-09-17.
Kapstein, Matthew T. (2014). Tibetan Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford
University Press.
Patrul Rinpoche (1994). Brown, Kerry; Sharma, Sima (eds.). The Words of My Perfect
Teacher [kunzang lama'i shelung]. Translated by Padmakara Translation Group. San
Francisco: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-066449-5.
Tsong-kha-pa, Je (2000). Cutler, Joshua; Newland, Guy (eds.). The Great Treatise on the
Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. Vol. I. Snow Lion. ISBN 1-55939-152-9.
Further reading
Berzin, Alexander (2019). "Theory and Practice of Guru Yoga" (https://studybuddhism.com/e
n/advanced-studies/lam-rim/student-teacher-relationship/theory-and-practice-of-guru-yoga).
Study Buddhism. Retrieved 2021-09-17.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guru_yoga&oldid=1220442032"
