How to unite your mind with the master's?

[justsit]

Chokyi Drakpa's commentary on the Longchen Nyingthik preliminary practices (and other sources) describe the importance of uniting one's mind with the wisdom mind of the master.

What exactly does this mean?
How does it differ from "thinking about" the master?
How is it accomplished?

Thanks for your insights.

[heart]

Chokyi Drakpa's commentary on the Longchen Nyingthik preliminary practices (and other sources) describe the importance of uniting one's mind with the wisdom mind of the master.

What exactly does this mean?
How does it differ from "thinking about" the master?
How is it accomplished?

Thanks for your insights.

It is accomplished by doing the Guru Yoga, after receiving the empowerment's you dissolve in to the Guru and then rest in the natural state.

/magnus

[justsit]

So essentially this is a visualization practice?

[Andrew108]

It's already united. You just have to recognize it. Yoga means unite and guru is 'dharmakaya'. So take it from there.

[conebeckham]

Simply stated, the nature of mind of the Guru, and the nature of mind of yourself, are exactly the same. There is no difference whatsoever. In Longchen Nyingthik Guru Yoga, one dissolves into the guru, and in many other guru yogas, the guru dissolves into oneself...but either way, it's the same. Visualization practices are skillful methods, but should not be mistaken for the ultimate or final "purpose"-i.e., the main point is not to develop one's imagination so that the visualization becomes vivid and "seemingly real," amazingly detailed, etc. (though these things are signs of stability and, in some sense, "success" in practice).

One uses the visualization techniques, including the "dissolving," (and in fact, all techniques, really) to effect a state of mind that allows innate wisdom to "manifest" or "appear." Of course, it's always been there, but the techniques are skillful means to allow realization of the truth to dawn in the practitioner's mindstream.

All visualization is "meditation." But not all "meditation" is visualization. The best "meditation" is nonmeditation. Remaining at rest in the nature of mind of the guru, primordially inseperable with one's own nature, is the crucial point.

[justsit]

Ah...

Thanks, Cone.

[pemachophel]

IMO, visualization and accompanying prayers are only the technique. The fruit of that technique is experiencing your innate Wisdom Mind as your Teacher's Wisdom Mind. IOW, recognizing/experiencing that every time you remember the Dharma, do the right as opposed to the wrong thing, recognize the nature of your mind and phenomena it is nothing other than the blessing/enlightened activity of your Guru. When this is really experienced in a non-dual way, it is a huge realization and is life-altering. IME, it is a major event on the accomplishment of the Path. One's whole practice changes after this. As H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche eloquently says:

When this original mind is realized as the very nature of the Lama,
There is no need for whining, contrived prayers [made with] grasping and attachment.
By letting go in the free, natural flow of uncontrived awareness,
Not holding whatever arises, the blessings of self-liberation are obtained.

[heart]

So essentially this is a visualization practice?

Could be, or not, it depends a lot on you. Sometimes I can whine quite a bit and sometimes that is not necessary at all.

/magnus