A Series of Articles on Ngöndro
The Preliminary Practices of Tibetan Buddhism

1. Introduction
2. The Elements of Ngondro

3.  The Nyingma Traditiona

• • Longchen Nyingtik
  • Dudjom Tersar
  • More Nyingma Ngöndros

4. The Kagyu Tradition

5. The Sakya, Gelug, and Bön Traditions

6. Supporting Materials

The Torch of Certainty

By Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye

Jamgon Kongtrul the Great is famous throughout Tibet and across all traditions, being one of the leading figures - along with Jamyang Kheyntse Wangpo and Chogyur Lingpa - of the 19th-century Rimé approach and for compiling and writing his massive Five Treasuries, including the eighteen volume Treasury of Precious Instructions and the ten-volume Treasury of Knowledge.

This ngöndro text, however, was one of his earliest writings, which he composed in 1844. 

This was also one of the earliest ngöndro works made available in English, first published in 1977.  Its scope is the Kagyu ngöndro and covers the main elements of all ngöndros as outlined in the previous article.

This includes a foreword by Chögyam Trungpa, and interviews with Kalu Rinpoche, Dezhung Rinpoche, and Trungpa Rinpoche, too. 

See also our Reader Guide to Kongtrul's Works.

Turning Confusion into Clarity: A Guide to the Foundation Practices of Tibetan Buddhism

By Mingyur Rinpoche

Mingyur Rinpoche has deep training in  the Nyingma tradition, from his father Tulku Urgyen and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, and in the Kagyu tradition from Saljay Rinpoche, Tai Situ Rinpoche, and others. This commentary is very applicable to all traditions, although some of the practice specifics are Kagyu-centric.  For example, refuge and Guru Yoga are focused on the form of the teacher as Vajradhara. 

This is an extraordinary book. 

The Jewel Ornament of Liberation

While not exactly a book on ngöndo, The Jewel Ornament of Liberation is a central text in the Kagyu tradition that contains teachings that cover much of the same ground, from the four outer preliminaries through taking refuge and generating bodhicitta. 

There are multiple Kagyu ngöndros.  In the Karma Kagyu tradition, there is the famous Chariot for Traveling the Noble Path by the Ninth Karmapa Dorje Wangchuk, which has been translated but not published (referred to in Training the Wisdom Body).

A Drukpa Kagyu ngondro written by Shakya Rinchen, the 9th Jey Khenpo of Bhutan, titled The Chariot of Liberation to the Vajra Abode, is widely practiced.

The Drikung Kagyu also has a ngondro. 

The Shangpa Kagyu has several ngondros .

Next we look at the ngöndros in the Sakya, Gelug, and Bön traditons.