AGuidetotheNectarofthePath

LevelI:TheFourThoughts&Stillness,Movement,andAwareness

LevelPrerequisites
Havingtakenrefuge(eitherwithaTergarlamaorinanothertradition/lineage)
Having received the three parts of the transmission to begin the Nectar of the Path
practice(seebelow)

LevelRequirements
100hoursofcontemplationofthefourthoughtsandnatureofmindpractice
Twoweekendretreats(with6+hoursofNectarofthePathpracticeeachday)

BeforeYouBegin

Receiving the full lineage transmission is an essential prerequisite to practicing Nectar of

the Path. The opportunity to take refuge, to receive the reading transmission and brief
instructions for Nectar of the Path, and to participate in an empowerment are offered at
TergarsPathofLiberationretreats.

Detailed instructions are found in recordings from Mingyur Rinpoche and Khenpo Kunga
(see Resources section for details). In September, 2016, a four month Nectar of the Path
Immersion will be offered in our Vajrayana Online program. This immersion program will
present detailed practice instructions,guidedmeditations,andadvicefordailylifepractice,
aswellaslivewebinarswithMingyurRinpocheandSeniorTergarInstructors.

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HowtoStructureaSessionofPractice

In this level, every session of practicing Nectar of the Path will involve three elements:
reciting the liturgy and any additional opening or closing chants, contemplating the four
thoughts, and meditating on the nature of mind. The following provides a suggested
guidelineforasessionofpractice.Detailedinstructionsarefoundinthefollowingsection.

SampleThirtyMinutePracticeSession

5minutes~OpeningchantsandNectarofthePathliturgy
10 minutes ~ Contemplation on daily topic and resting in open awareness
(alternating)
10minutes~Natureofmindmeditation
5minutes~Dedicationprayersandclosingchants

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~TheFourThoughtsandNatureofMind~
NotesonTheNectarofthePath

As mentioned above, there are three main practice elements in this level: the liturgy and
opening/closing prayers, the four thoughts, and nature of mind practice. Nature of mind
practice at this stage relates to an exploration of stillness, movement, and awareness.
Contemplating the four thoughts takes place in the four thoughts section of the liturgy.
Nature of mind practice takes place following the meditation instructions on page 8. The
instructionsprovidedherepresentabasicframeworkforthemainelementsofthepractice.
Detailed instructions canbefoundinNectarofthePathteachingsbyMingyurRinpocheand
KhenpoKunga(seeResourcessectionbelow).

PreparingfortheSession
Begin by correcting your posture, then pause for a few moments to let your mind
openandrelax.
Next, arouse bodhichitta, thinking to yourself, "I am now going topracticeNectarof
the Path in ordertobecomebuddha,sothatIcanhelpallbeingsrecognizetheirtrue
nature and become buddhas."Asyoudoso,recitetheRefugeandBodhichittaprayer
contained in the daily chants, followed bytheFourImmeasurables.Ifyouhavetime,
you may also chant the Supplication to the Dakpo Kagyu and any other prayers or
sutrasthatyoufindinspiring.1
Performthenine-foldbreathingexercise(ifyouhavereceivedthetransmissiontodo
so).

1
Fortheseandallotherrecitations,youmaychantinTibetan,English,orboth.Ifyouchantboth,chanteach
sectiononetimeinTibetanandthenonetimeinEnglish.Whenastanzaistobechantedthreetimes,chantthe
firsttwotimesinTibetanandthefinaltimeinEnglish.
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TheFourThoughts2
Next, chant the first two lines of the liturgy on page 1, beginning with, Seeing its
manywonderfulqualities.
Asyouchantthelinesonthefourthoughts,chantslowlyandbrieflypauseaftereach
line to contemplate thetopicpresented.Whenyoureachthelinethatpertainstothe
main topic you are contemplating, pause for a longer period and commence your
daily contemplation, alternating periods of contemplation and resting in open
awareness.
When you are finished contemplating, continue with theliturgy,chantingtherefuge
verses (Namo Buddhaya) three times and the guru yoga supplication (lama
khyeno)twenty-onetimesorasmanytimesasyoulike.
After reciting the meditation verses on page 8, pause for a period of natureofmind
practice. In this level, thepracticeinstructionspertaintotheexplorationofstillness,
movementandawareness.
o For this practice, rest naturally without trying to control experience in any
way, yet without being lost in distraction. When it comes to your state of
mind, there are only two options: the mind is either still or it is moving. At
times, the mind may be calm, with few thoughts, emotions, or little
movement of attention toward sense objects. At other times, it may be very
activethinking,feeling,andperceiving.
o Notice how both stillness and movement are the expression of awareness.
When the mind is still, that very stillness isawareness,andwhenthemindis
movingandactive,thatactivityisalsoawareness.
o The practice here is to rest in awareness no matter what state themindisin
even if it is dull, restless, or confused. As long as you know that you are
calm and peaceful, that you are restless and agitated, or that you are dull or
confused,thatisenough.Simplyrestinawarenessnomatterwhathappens.

2
Pleasenote:theitalicizedtextintheliturgydoesnotneedtobechantedandispurelyforinstructional
purposes.
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Conclude yourpracticebyperformingthe"shakingHA"exercise(ifyouhavereceived
the transmission to do so) and reciting thededicationliturgyonpage9,followedby
anyotherdedications,aspirations,orconcludingprayers.

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~ResourcesforPractice~

TeachingsonNectarofthePath:
EssentialDharma:TeachingsonNectarofthePathwithMingyurRinpoche
ExploringNectarofthePathwithKhenpoKunga

PracticeTextsandMaterials:
TergarPracticeBinder
DailyChants
NectarofthePathpracticeliturgy

Mingyur Rinpoches ngondro teachings provide detailed instructions on the four thoughts
andotherpointsofpractice:
TurningConfusionintoClarity
NgondroDVD(Part1)andNgondroDVD(Part2)
NgondroMP3CD(Parts1and2)3
Tergars Vajrayana Online program includes an in-depth Nectar of the Path
Immersion course (offered September, 2016), as well as regular webinars with
Mingyur Rinpoche and Senior Tergar Instructors, monthly teachings from Mingyur
Rinpoche,individualinterviews,andmuchmore.

3
This is the same content that is in the Ngondro DVDs, but in audio format.
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