Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 44-minute recording of a morning puja from 1990, Lama Zopa Rinpoche leads practitioners through the Guru Puja practice, a foundational Tibetan Buddhist ritual that combines guru yoga, refuge-taking, bodhisattva vows, and tantric commitments. The session begins with the four immeasurable thoughts—cultivating equanimity, compassion, joy, and the wish to free all beings from suffering—then moves through detailed visualizations of the guru as an enlightened being, ritual purification through bathing offerings, recitation of bodhisattva and tantric vows, and extensive requests to an unbroken lineage of Indian and Tibetan masters. The practice emphasizes transforming oneself into a guru-deity, blessing the environment and all beings, and sealing the session with meditation on the guru as the source of all spiritual realizations. Suited for practitioners already familiar with Guru Puja or those undertaking intensive retreat practice.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 02 MP.mp3
UUID: b962a989-cbe1-4415-aa7c-d10853141f90
Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1
Collection: Morning Puja (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1)
Date: 1990 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.4 minutes
Words: ~3,797
Generating the four immeasurable thoughts. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were to abide in equanimity, free of hatred and attachment. May they abide in equanimity. I myself will make them abide in equanimity. Please, Guru deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings had happiness and the cause of happiness. May they have happiness and its cause. I myself will make them have happiness and its cause. Please, a deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were free of suffering and its cause.
May they be free of suffering and its cause. I myself will free them from suffering and its cause. Please, guru, deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were never separated from the happiness of higher rebirth and liberation. Liberation.
May they never be separated from these. I myself will cause them never to be separated from these. Please, guru deity, grant me blessings be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were to abide in equanimity, free of hatred and attachment. May they abide in equanimity.
I myself will make them abide in equanimity. Please, guru deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings had happiness in the cause of happiness. May they have happiness in its cause. I myself will make them have happiness in its cause.
Please, Guru Deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were free of suffering in its cause. May they be free of suffering in its cause. I myself will free them from suffering in its cause. Please, Guru Deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were never separated from the happiness of higher rebirth and liberation. May they never be separated from these. I myself will cause them never to be separated from these. Please, guru deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were to abide in equanimity, free of hatred and attachment.
May they abide in equanimity. I myself will make them abide in equanimity. Please, Guru deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings had happiness in the cause of happiness. May they have happiness in its cause.
I myself will make them have happiness in its cause. Please, Guru Deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were free of suffering and its cause. May they be free of suffering and its cause. I myself will free them from suffering and its cause.
Please, Guru, Deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were never separated from the happiness of higher rebirth and liberation. May they never be separated from these. I myself will cause them never to be separated from these. Please, guru deity, grant me blessings to be able to do this.
Now, vow in the Guru Puja. For the sake of all mother sentient beings, I transform myself into Guru Yidam, and thus shall I lead all sentient beings to a Guru Yidam’s supreme enlightenment. For the sake of all other sentient beings, I transform myself into a Guru Yidam, and thus shall I lead all sentient beings to a Guru Yidam’s supreme enlightenment. For the sake of all other sentient beings, I transform myself into a Guru Yidam, and thus shall I lead all sentient beings to a Guru Yidam’s supreme enlightenment. For the sake of all mother sentient beings, I shall quickly quickly in this very life attain the state of primordial Buddha Guru Yidam.
I shall liberate all mother sentient beings from suffering and lead them to the great bliss of Buddhahood. To this end, I now shall practice the profound path of Guru Yoga. So now just meditating on the stages of the death dissolution and then on the clear light nature of the mind. And this one. Within great bliss, I manifest as a Guru Yidam.
For my clear body, profusions of light rays radiate forth to ten directions, blessing the environment and the beings therein. All becomes most perfectly arrayed with only excellent qualities infinitely pure. Verse nine. In the vast heavens of indivisible voidness and bliss, amidst billowing clouds of offerings, at the precious wish-granting tree, embellished with leaves, flowers, and fruit, is a lion’s throne ablaze with precious gems. Upon cushions of a lotus sun and full moon, sits my root guru, he who is kind in all three ways, in essence all Buddhas, in aspect a saffron robed monk, with one face, two arms, and a radiant white smile.
Your right hand is in the gesture of expounding the Dharma. Your left hand in meditative pose cradles a begging bowl filled with nectar. You are draped with three robes of lustrous saffron. Your head is graced by a pundit’s gold-colored pen. In your heart, the all pervading Lord vajradhara, with a body blue in color, one face and two arms, holding vajra and bell and embracing Vajradhatu Ishvari.
They delight in the play of simultaneous voidness and bliss, are adorned with jeweled ornaments of many designs and clothed in garments of heavenly silks. Radiant with thousands of light rays, you are emblazoned with the major and minor marks of a Buddha and sit in the vajra position and haloed by a five colored rainbow. Totally pure, your skandhas are the five Buddhas gone to bliss. Your four elements, the four motherly consorts. The bliss of your senses, your energy channels, sinews, and joints are all in reality, bodhisattvas.
The hairs of your pores are the twenty one thousand arhats. Your limbs, the protectors. The light rays, directional guardians, lords of wealth in their attendance, while all worldly guards wear cushions for your feet. Surrounding you in their respective order is an encircling sea of actual and lineage gurus, yidams, host of mandala deities, Buddha’s bodhisattvas, Dakas, Dakinis, and protectors of the teachings. The three doors of each are marked with three vajras.
From their syllables of HUM, light rays go out and hook-like draw forth from their natural abode wisdom beings that they become inseparably set. Verse fifteen and sixteen. Though all things are totally free of inherent coming and going, still you arise to your virtuous conduct of wisdom and loving compassion in whatsoever form suit the temperament of varied disciples. Oh, holy refuge protectors, please come forth with your offering. You who are the source of goodness, bliss, and perfection, a root and lineage gurus, yidams, Three Jewels of refuge, Gurus, Dakinis, Dharmapalas, and protectors with the entourage of the three times, by the power of compassion, come forth and abide steadfast.
Now offering bath, which is on page seven of the Guru Puja text. The bathing house has an extremely sweet fragrance, a crystal ball and beautiful sparkling jewel pillars. The roof is covered by a canopy decorated with shining pearls. Just as the gods made offerings of pure water after the birth of Buddha, I also offer a bath with the pure water of the gods. Holy body created by ten million excellent virtues, holy speech fulfilling the hopes of infinite migratory beings, holy mind seeing all existence as it is.
I offer this bath to the holy body of Buddha Vajradhāra. I offer this bath to the holy bodies of the lineage gurus of the extensive conduct. I offer this bath to the holy bodies of the lineage gurus for the profound view. I offer this bath to the lineage gurus for the best practice. I offer this bath to the holy bodies of all the lineage gurus.
Offer this bath to the holy bodies of the founder Buddhas. I offer this bath to the protecting Dharma. I offer this bath to the guiding Sangha. I offer this bath to the refuge of the three precious gems. I now wipe their holy bodies with incomparable clean, sweet smelling cloth.
Just as a goldsmith polishes gold already pure and refined, so so do I apply the best fragrance that pervades billions of universes to the holy bodies of the controlled ones. By offering me soft light divine clothes with indestructible devotion, those who have attained the vajra holy body, may I also achieve the vajra holy body. Because the conquerors are adorned by the natural ornaments of the marks and signs, they do not need any other kind of ornament. But by offering these supreme jewel ornaments, may all sentient beings achieve the holy body adorned by all the marks and signs. Please, all you Bhagawans, because of your love and compassion for me and all sentient beings, if I make offerings to you until saṃsāra ends, through your miraculous powers, please remain until then.
Now we go to verse eighteen on page eight of the Guru Puja text. He’s now taking the Bodhisattva vows on page ten of the Guru Puja text. I go for refuge to the triple gem. I confess individually my black karmic debts. I rejoice in the merit of all living beings.
I take hold with my mind the perfect state of a Buddha. I go for refuge into my enlightenment to the Buddha, the Dharma, the supreme Sangha assembly, and I do so to attain the enlightened mind. In order to fulfill the aims of myself and others, I shall develop the supreme enlightened motive. And towards all dear beings, my invited guests, I shall act with supreme enlightening conduct. May I become a Buddha to benefit all.
I go for refuge to the triple gem. I confess individually my black karmic debts. I rejoice in the merit of all living beings. I take hold with my mind the perfect state of a Buddha. I go for refuge until my enlightenment to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the supreme Sangha assembly, and I do so to attain the enlightened mind.
In order to fulfill the aims of myself and others, I shall develop the supreme enlightened motive. And towards all dear beings, my invited guests, I shall act the supreme enlightened conduct. May I become a Buddha to benefit all. I go for refuge to the triple gem. I confess individually my black karmic debts.
I rejoice in the merit of all living beings. I take hold with my mind the perfect state of a Buddha. I go for refuge until my enlightenment to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the supreme Sangha assembly, and I do so to attain enlightened mind. In order to fulfill the aims of myself and others, I shall develop the supreme enlightened motive. And towards all you beings, my invited guests, I shall act with supreme enlightened conduct.
May I become a Buddha to benefit all. The Tantric vows on page eleven. Oh, Buddhas and their sons, Dakas and Dakinis, peace may be heed. I am a Kadampa, from now until possessing the essence of Buddhahood, shall generate the sacred Peerless bodhicitta, just as all the Buddhas of the three times ensure themselves awakeness by generating it. I pledge to rely on each of the three disciplines: to benefit beings, to gather the virtuous Dharma, and to abandon improper behavior.
I pledge to hold the vow of the Buddha family, the purest triple gem, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. I pledge to hold the vajra samaya, the vajra family, and to honor my teacher. I pledge to dispense always the four types of gifts six times a day, keeping in mind the pledge of the Ratna family. I pledge to hold the samayas of the three vehicles, the outer, inner, and secret of the Padma family. I pledge to hold each vow well and thereby complete the karma family and to perform as many offerings as possible.
I shall generate the vows of Peerless bodhicitta for the sake of all and hold all samayas. I shall deliver those not delivered, liberate those not liberated, give breath for those unable to breathe, and place all beings in the state beyond sorrow. Oh, Buddhas and their sons, Dakas and Dakinis, please pay me heed. I am from now until possessing the essence of Buddhahood, shall generate the sacred Pilas bodhicitta, just as all the Buddhas of the three times ensure themselves awakeness by generating it. I shall generate the vows of Pilas bodhicitta for the sake of all and hold all samayas.
I shall deliver those not delivered, liberate those not liberated, give breath to those unable to breathe, and place all beings in a state beyond sorrow. O Buddhas and their sons, Dakas and Dakinis, please bear me heed. I am vowed from now until possessing the essence of Buddhahood shall generate the sacred Pilas bodhicitta, just as all the Buddhas of the three times ensure themselves awakeness by generating it. I shall generate the vows of Pilas bodhicitta for the sake of all and hold all samayas. I shall deliver those not delivered liberate those not liberated, give breath to those unable to breathe, and place all beings in the state beyond sorrow.
So now it’s the vajra practice. Due to this merit, may I and all sentient beings be guided by the guru deity from this moment until we achieve enlightenment. May we always protect every samaya of the guru deity. May we never transgress any commitment of the guru deity. Just pausing to meditate and rejoicing, rejoicing in all your own positive actions, the positive actions of all the other people doing this meditation course and of all other ordinary beings, and then rejoicing in the positive actions for all holy beings, all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
And there’s special request prayer on page fifteen of the Guru Puja. I prostrate and go for refuge in the guru and the three precious gems. Please bless my mental continuum. I request for you to pacify immediately all the wrong conceptions for incorrectly devoting to the guru after the subtle dual view that exists within my mind in the minds of all sentient beings. I request you to generate immediately all the right realizations.
Outer and inner obstacles to actualizing the whole graduated path to enlightenment within my mind, within the minds of all sentient beings. I prostrate and go for refuge to the guru and the three precious gems. Please bless my mental continuum. I’m requesting you to pacify immediately all the wrong conceptions from incorrectly devoting to the guru up to the subtle dual view that exists within my mind within the minds of all sentient beings. I’m requesting you to generate immediately all the right realizations from guru devotion up to enlightenment within my mind, within the minds of all sentient beings.
I’m requesting you to pacify all the outer and inner obstacles to actualizing the whole graduated path to enlightenment within my mind, within the minds of all sentient beings. I prostrate and go for refuge to the guru and the three precious gems. Please bless my mental continuum. I’m requesting you to pacify immediately all the wrong conceptions from incorrectly devoting to the guru up to the subtle dual view that exists within my mind within the minds of all sentient beings. I’m requesting you to generate immediately all the right realizations from a pure devotion up to enlightenment within my mind and within the minds of all sentient beings.
I’m requesting you to pacify all the outer inner obstacles to actualizing the whole graduated path to enlightenment within my mind, within the minds of all sentient beings. I am requesting to the precious guru who has the essence of the all encompassing three times objects of refuge. Please bless my mental continuum. Five colored nectar beams flow from the guru’s holy body and enter your body mind and that of all sentient beings. These purify all diseases, spirit harms, negative karmas and obscurations, particularly all the collection of obscurations, negative karmas and degenerated samayas done in relationship to the virtuous friend, such as giving harm to the holy body, breaking the advice, disturbing the holy mind, generating undevotional thoughts, criticizing, giving up as guru and so forth.
From all the doors, the sense organs and the pores, these are dispelled in the form of liquid smoke or coal. They are completely purified. The body becomes in the nature of light, calm and clear. Your life, fortune, and all the qualities of understanding and realization are fully developed. The blessings of the Guru’s holy body, holy speech, and holy mind enter within your body, speech, mind, and those of all sentient beings.
You and all sentient beings now enter the protection of the virtuous friend. So now we’re doing the requesting prayer to the lineage lamas, is on page fifteen of the Guru Puja prayer book. Glorious and precious root guru, please abide in the lotus and moon seat on my crown, and taking care of me with your great kindness, bestow upon me the attainments of your holy body, speech, and mind. Glorious and precious root guru, please abide in the lotus and moon seat on my crown, and taking care of me with your great kindness, bestow upon me the attainments of your holy body, speech, and mind. Glorious and precious root guru, please abide on the lotus and moon’s seed on my crown, and taking care of me with your great kindness, bestow upon me the attainments of your holy body, speech, and mind.
The teacher, the Bhagawan, the incomparable guide, invincible Lord Maitreya, the conqueror’s regent, Ārya Asaṇga, who is prophesied by the conqueror. To you three Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, I make request. You three Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, I make request. Vasubandhu, crown ornament of this world’s learned ones. Ārya Vimuktasena, who found the Vimuktasena, noble foundation of abiding in faith.
To you three who opened the eyes of the world, I make request. To you three who opened the eyes of the world, I make request. Paramasena, who has exalted a marvelous accomplishment. Vinita Senna, who trained his mind in the profound path. Dharmakīrti of Suvarnadvīpa, a treasury of great ways of conduct.
To you three friends of my greater beings, I make request. To you, three friends of my greater beings, I make request. Hari Badra, who composed vast treatises on the supreme path of the Prajñāpāramitā. Kusali, holder of all the conqueror’s instructions. Ratna Senna, who lovingly cared for all beings.
To you, three helmsmen of sentient beings, I make request. To you three helmsman of sentient beings, I make request. Serlingpa, who realized bodhicitta in his holy mind. Atisha, holder of the tradition of the great people. Precious Dromtonpa, who clarifies the noble path.
To you three pillars of the teachings, I make request. To you, three pillars of the teachings, I make request. Lord Buddha, pinnacle of the Shakyas, supreme guide. Nāgārjuna, pillar in explaining emptiness. Mañjuśrī, total encompassment of all the Buddha’s infinite wisdom. The supreme Ārya Nāgārjuna, who saw the profound meaning.
To you, three crown ornaments of the learned ones, I make request. To you three crown ornaments of the learned ones, I make request. Candrakīrti, who clarified the Ārya’s intentions. Vidyakokila the elder, the conqueror’s son. Vidyakokila the younger, a conqueror’s son.
To you three powerfully intelligent ones, I make request. To you three powerfully intelligent ones, I make request. Atisha, who saw the profound dependent arising just as it is, upholding the tradition of the great vehicle, precious Dromtonpa who clarified the noble path. To you two ornaments of this world, I make request. To you two ornaments of this world, I make request.
Gampopa, magnificent, powerful yogi, Phagmodrupa, who had stable concentration on the profound, Dakpo Lhaje, who upheld the whole collection of Vinaya. To you, three lamps of the border regions, I make request. To you, three lamps of the border regions, I make request. Namkha Senge, who practiced with earnest effort. Namkha Gyalpo, who was blessed by the holy ones.
Sengezangpo, who abandoned the eight worldly dharmas. To Gelse Sengpo, I make request. To Gelse Sengpo, I make request. With Bodhi Chita seeing all beings as his child, blessed and cared for by the exalted gods, supreme spiritual friend guiding migrating beings in degenerate times. I make request.
I make request. Potowa, the conqueror’s regent. Sharawa, unequaled discrimination. Chekawa, who realized the advice of bodhicitta. To you three who fulfilled the hopes of beings, I make request.
To you three who fulfilled the hopes of beings, I make request. Chilbupa, Bodhisattva, possessor of oral transmissions and insights. Lhakpa Wangchuk, supremely learned one. Gonpawa Rinpoche, protector of beings, all three realms. To you three great elders, I make request. To you three great elders, I make request.
Sangchenpa, who had the sweet scent of pure morality, Sonampa, master of a hundred thousand sections of Vinaya, Manjuwa, an ocean of Abhidharma, to you three guides of my greater beings, I make request. To you three guides of my greater beings, I make request. Who relies vast and profound Dharma, who protected all the fortunate beings, who did noble deeds and the vast teachings. At the feet of the glorious guru, Chökyi Sangpo, I make request. At the feet of the glorious guru, Chökyi Sangpo, I make request.
Soldunpa, a great powerful accomplished one. Jungne Gye, who correctly devoted to his spiritual friend. Gendun Gonpo, who changed his mind onto the supreme vehicle’s path. To you three sons of the conquerors, I make request. To your three sons of the conquerors, I make request.
Sangye Bum, treasury of boundless qualities. Namke Gyalpo, who is blessed by the holy ones. Senge Gyalpo, who abandoned the eight worldly dharmas. To Gyalpo, I make request. To Gyalpo, I make request.
With Bodhi Chita seeing all beings as his child, blessed and cared for by the exalted god, supreme spiritual friend guiding my greater beings in degenerate times. to Namke Geltsin, I make request. Tenamke Geltsin, I make request. Avalokiteśvara, great treasure of non objectifying compassion, Mañjuśrī, powerful and stainless wisdom. Tsongkhapa, crown ornament of the learned ones in the snow land.
Make request. Request. Jampal Gyatso, powerful accomplished practitioner. Losang Dragpa, expander of the teachings. Vajradhāra, holder of the treasury of wisdom and instruction.
To you three fearless gurus, I make request. To you three fearless gurus, I make request. Request. Tokme Zangpo, who