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The Excellent Path of the Two Accumulations: A Method for Practicing the Preliminary Foundations according to the Sakya Tradition

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Descriptionངོ་སྤྲོད།

The Excellent Path of the Two Accumulations is a key Sakya tradition text guiding preliminary Buddhist practices (Ngöndro), focusing on accumulating merit (method) and wisdom (insight) through meditations like refuge, Vajrasattva, and Guru Yoga, essential for rapid spiritual progress, building foundational experience, and clearing obstacles for higher tantric practices, often taught at Sakya monasteries like the one in Seattle.

Core Concepts & Components:

Two Accumulations: Merit (positive karma/skillful means) and wisdom (understanding emptiness).

Preliminary Foundations (Ngöndro): These are foundational practices before deeper tantric work.

Ordinary Preliminaries: Contemplations on precious human rebirth, impermanence, karma, and samsara.

Extraordinary Preliminaries: Specific tantric practices.

Key Practices: Includes taking refuge (especially with the Sakya Refuge Tree), Vajrasattva meditation, and Guru Yoga (visualizing the Lama).

Purpose of the Practice:

Dispels Obstacles: Clears inner and outer hindrances.

Enhances Experience: Builds contemplative experience and spiritual warmth.

Prepares for Tantra: Provides the necessary foundation for higher, swifter Vajrayana paths, linking to the "combined accomplishment of the four deities".

How to Access & Practice:

Official Guidance: Taught by lineage holders, often at Sakya monasteries (e.g., Sakya Monastery in Seattle offers group practice).

Prerequisites: Generally requires receiving initiation/empowerment from a qualified Lama.

Structure: Combines intellectual understanding (teachings as a map) with dedicated meditation (traveling the terrain).

In essence, this manual provides a structured, traditional roadmap for dedicated practitioners to build profound positive potential and wisdom, essential for realizing the ultimate goals of the Buddhist path within the Sakya school.

Citation

Lodrö, Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi. The Excellent Path of the Two Accumulations: A Method for Practicing the Preliminary Foundations according to the Sakya Tradition. Compiled by Dezhung Rinpoche. Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Canberra: Gorum Publications, 2000.

Interconnections

Works related to this item

Sakya - The Sakya tradition developed in the eleventh century in the Khön family of Tsang, which maintained an imperial-era lineage of Vajrakīla and which adopted a new teaching from India known as Lamdre. Tib ས་སྐྱ་  

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Puṇya - The positive energy or potential created through performing good deeds, such as generosity or kindness. In Buddhism, accumulating this positive force is seen as essential for finding happiness in future lives, and crucial as a foundation for following the spiritual path. Skt पुण्य  Tib བསོད་ནམས་  Ch 福;功德  

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Prajñā - One of the key terms for wisdom or knowledge, most often having the sense of insight, transcendent knowledge, or perhaps gnosis. In some contexts it can also refer to cognition or intellectual understanding. Skt प्रज्ञा  Tib ཤེས་རབ་  Ch 般若  

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Śaraṇagamana - The foundational act of entering the Buddhist path by formally seeking protection and guidance from the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. Skt शरणगमन  Tib སྐྱབས་འགྲོ་  Ch 皈依  

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Śūnyatā - The state of being empty of an innate nature due to a lack of independently existing characteristics. Skt शून्यता  Tib སྟོང་པ་ཉིད་  Ch 空;空門  

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Śaraṇagamana - The foundational act of entering the Buddhist path by formally seeking protection and guidance from the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. Skt शरणगमन  Tib སྐྱབས་འགྲོ་  Ch 皈依  

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Tantra - Tantra, when juxtaposed with Sūtra, generally refers to the scriptures and texts which discuss esoteric topics. While the term is used to refer to texts on other topics, it is mostly used to refer to the genre of scriptures and texts on themes and topics associated with Vajrayāna Buddhism. Skt तन्त्र  Tib རྒྱུད།  Ch 密宗  

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