Lama Zopa Rinpoche goes through the names of the lineage lamas and discusses two important lamrim texts: The Happy Path (by Panchen Palden Yeshe) and The Red Commentary (by Panchen Losang Yeshe). He mentions that The Red Commentary is the basis of Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo.

Rinpoche revises the discussion from the previous evening about not seeing faults in the guru. He urges us to transform the poison into nectar by using the perceived mistake to strengthen our guru devotion. He says that it’s important to always have the idea that the guru is showing us an ordinary aspect. The reason is that without showing this ordinary aspect—which, by definition, has mistakes—we would be lost without a guide. It would be like a baby left in a hot desert.

Rinpoche also emphasizes the idea of the primordial unified savior or the all-pervasive Vajradhara. If we keep this idea of the real meaning of the guru, we can see all our past-life gurus as just one being, the primordial dharmakaya. From that, we can appreciate the guru’s kindness. We can see that the eight freedoms and ten richnesses are all due to the guru’s kindness. For example, having a human body came from pure morality in the past, which is the guru’s kindness of teaching us about karma.

Rinpoche says that the heart practice is to reflect only on the qualities (not the mistakes) of the valid guru, who is the originator of all the realizations you attain up to enlightenment. So, in any circumstances, keep this as the heart practice and maintain this commitment. Rinpoche reminds us that to receive the realizations depends on receiving the blessing of the guru, and the blessing of the guru comes from guru devotion.

Rinpoche concludes this session by discussing two mantras: the mantra of the bodhisattva Eliminating the Defilements, which purifies the karmic torture at the time of death, and the mantra to purify the pollution of consuming offerings. He then begins the oral transmission of The Confession of Downfalls to the Thirty-Five Buddhas by outlining the benefits of reciting each buddha’s name. He covers the names from Guru Shakyamuni to the Tathagata Infinite Splendor.

From April 10 to May 10, 2004, Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave extensive teachings during the Mahamudra Retreat at Buddha House in Australia. While the retreat focused on Mahamudra, Rinpoche also taught on a wide range of Lamrim topics. This retreat marked the beginning of a series of month-long retreats in Australia. Subsequent retreats were held in 2011, 2014, and 2018, hosted by the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo.

Find out more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, his teachings and projects at https://fpmt.org/