Ngöndro literally means preliminary or preparatory practice that people should do before taking up the actual practice of Vajrayāna. It prepares a student for the actual practice of Vajrayāna Buddhist meditation, which mainly refers to the meditation on the nature of the mind. It’s like preparing the field for sowing the seeds. It helps one to prepare the right mind-set and attitude in order to receive the higher instructions on Vajrayāna practice.

There are many different traditions of ngöndro practice but one often finds ngöndro classified into two categories: the outer and inner ngöndro. The outer ngöndro mainly refers to reflections on some universal or common things, which need not only apply to Buddhist practice but are common human experiences. The inner ngöndro deals with unique Buddhist themes and practices.

The first outer category includes contemplation on the four points of turning one’s mind from worldly and material concerns towards spiritual enlightenment called Lodog namzhi. First, one meditates on the preciousness and rarity of human body. It is a way to inculcate a deep appreciation of the human life we have. Then comes reflection on the impermanence of life to understand its precariousness. The third practice is contemplation on natural law of cause and effect, and finally reflection on the defects of our worldly existence, so we are not complacent with the status quo.

By meditating on these four points, one turns away one’s mind away from the cycle of existence and worldly ambitions. As a result, one must earnestly wish to transcend this cycle of existence and look inward to seek an internal change and enlightenment. Having done that, one’s mind should have become fully occupied with the wish for enlightenment and the wish to get liberated from this world.

Then one does the next phase of inner ngöndro, which leads one on the path to enlightenment. This includes taking refuge in the Buddha as the best teacher, in his teachings, the dharma, as the path, and in his followers, the sangha, as companions on the path. Then, one does semkye or altruistic thought – bodhichitta, to not only obtain enlightenment for oneself but to take all the sentient beings to enlightenment.

The path to enlightenment involves overcoming negativities and accumulating positive merits. To do so, one undertakes the purification practice through visualisation of Vajrasattva and chanting his mantra. It is a psycho-therapeutic practice to cleanse oneself and others of negative energies. This is followed by the offering of mandala or giving away the universe and everything good in it as a practice of charity in order to accrue merit.

One then undertakes guru yoga or worship of the guru in order to build a strong connection with one’s teacher. This practice develops, fine-tunes and sensitises one’s mind to such an extent that one’s mind should have become so receptive to the guru’s instruction on the nature of the mind.

So, it is important to remember the purpose of ngöndro. It is a preparatory path leading to higher teachings. Above all, it’s a path to change one’s mind-set, way of thinking, priorities and outlook on life. If this main purpose is lost, then doing all the thousands of prostrations, mandala offerings and chanting is pretty meaningless.

One should really train and transform the mind because that is the sole purpose of ngöndro. It should make the mind very conducive, pliable and receptive to the meditation instructions that one will receive after ngöndro. For instance, when one contemplates on the preciousness and rareness of human body or the state of being a human being, one should really be able to convince oneself that this is a very precious opportunity that will help one to breakthrough this cycle of existence and reach enlightenment. In the same way, the meditation of impermanence should instil the sense of urgency that one must immediately embark on the spiritual journey because this precious human state is very transient and precarious.

It’s really the impact these practices have on one’s mind, which is the most important aspect of ngöndro practice, not numbers, duration of practice or the hardships one goes through. If after doing ngöndro practices many times, one still remains very spiritually insensitive and unreceptive person who is still attached to the world, then the purpose of ngöndro is lost.

The ngöndro practice, as put in the Kagyü teachings, helps one in four steps: to turn one’s mind from the worldly affairs towards dharma, to make dharma practice an effective path, to dispel any misconceptions and obstacles on the path and to see all misconceptions and obstacles as a bare experience as innate wisdom.

Karma Phuntsho is the Director of Shejun Agency for Bhutan’s Cultural Documentation and Research, founder of the Loden Foundation and the author of The History of Bhutan. The piece was initially published in Bhutan’s national newspaper Kuensel in a series called Why We Do What We Do.