Six Dharmas of Naropa

These are six special teachings.

They come from many years ago. Two men named Tilopa and Naropa shared them. Later, a man named Marpa taught them too.

These ways help people learn. Some ways use inner heat. Other ways help with dreams. People use them to find peace. They work with the body. These teachings are still used today. Do you like to learn new things?

The Six Dharmas of Naropa are special Buddhist teachings.

They were put together by two men named Tilopa and Naropa. They lived a long time ago. These teachings were passed down to many people. One famous teacher was named Marpa. He taught these ways to Milarepa.

These practices help people reach Buddhahood. This means reaching a state of perfect wisdom. People often use these teachings in the Kagyu school. Some people in the Gelug school use them too.

The teachings work with the subtle body. This is the inner part of a person. One part is called tummo. Tummo is a way to make inner heat.

Other parts of the teachings focus on dreams. Some focus on light or the state after death. This state is called the bardo. To learn these, people often work with a guru. A guru is a wise teacher. Students also do many basic steps first. They learn about kindness and how to be calm. This helps them get ready for the deeper work.

The Six Dharmas of Naropa are a special set of Buddhist practices.

These teachings are meant to help people reach Buddhahood very quickly. This means reaching a state of perfect wisdom and enlightenment. Some people call these teachings the "path of means." They are also known as the Bardo Trang-dol system. This name refers to the three stages of being: waking, sleeping, and dying.

These stages are called bardos. These practices are very important in the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

These practices work with what is called the subtle body.

This is the inner part of a person. A main part of the work is called tummo. Tummo is a way to create inner heat energy.

Students also learn about other yogas. One is called ösel, which is about clear light or radiance. Another is milam, which is the yoga of the dream state. There is also gyulü, the yoga of the illusory body. Finally, phowa is a way to move consciousness to a pure Buddhafield.

These teachings have a long history.

They were compiled by two Indian men named Tilopa and Naropa. Naropa lived between 1016 and 1100 CE. Tilopa was the teacher of Naropa. Tilopa learned from many different teachers. He learned from people like Nagarjuna and Lawapa. The teachings came from ancient texts called tantras. One was the Guhyasamaja Tantra. Another was the Hevajra Tantra. The third was the Chaturpitha Tantra.

Many famous teachers passed these ideas down through time.

Naropa taught a student named Marpa. Marpa then taught the famous yogi Milarepa. Milarepa taught Gampopa. Gampopa wrote many manuals about these six dharmas. Later, the teachings moved into the Gelug school. Je Tsongkhapa helped bring them to the Gelug tradition. He wrote a famous book about them. This book is called A Book of Three Inspirations. Many important leaders, like the Dalai Lamas, have used these teachings.

To start these practices, students must do many things first. They usually work closely with a guru, who is a wise teacher. They must also receive a special initiation. This is a ceremony to prepare them for the work. Students practice many basic steps called preliminaries. They learn about being kind and having compassion. They also learn to be calm through meditation. They might practice things like guru yoga or Vajrasattva meditation. All of this helps them prepare for the deeper yogas.

The Six Dharmas of Naropa are an advanced set of tantric Buddhist practices.

These teachings are designed to help practitioners achieve Buddhahood in an accelerated manner. In Kagyu literature, they are often called "the path of means" or *thabs lam*. Another name for the system is the "Bardo Trang-dol system." This name refers to the three *bardos*, which are states of being. These states include waking, sleeping, and the process of dying.

The practices focus on the subtle body of the practitioner.

To perform these yogas, students must work with internal energy. The practices primarily utilize the subtle body through the generation of *tummo*. *Tummo* is the yoga of inner heat or mystic heat.

This heat is used to work with energy channels.

Practitioners often undergo initiation or empowerment into specific tantra systems first. These systems include the Cakrasaṃvara or the Vajrayogini tantras. After visualizing themselves as deities, they use these techniques to experience bliss and presence. This process provides a first glimpse of awakening.

Different traditions organize the six dharmas in various ways. The list used by the Kagyu figure Gampopa is very common. His list includes *tummo* (inner heat) and *ösel* (clear light or radiance). It also includes *milam* (the dream state) and *gyulü* (the illusory body). The final two are *bardo* (the intermediate state) and *phowa* (the transference of consciousness).

Other scholars offer different groupings. For example, Tsongkhapa follows a list from Phagmo Drupa. His list includes forceful projection as a specific stage. Some sources even list up to ten different dharmas. These extra items include the generation stage and the view of emptiness.

The history of these teachings begins with Indian *mahasiddhas*. Tilopa was the earliest known teacher of these dharmas. He lived around 988 to 1069 CE. Tilopa received his knowledge from several teachers, including Nagarjuna and Lawapa. The source material for these practices came from ancient tantras. These included the Guhyasamaja, Hevajra, and Chaturpitha Tantras. Naropa, who lived from 1016 to 1100 CE, learned these teachings from Tilopa. This established a lineage that would travel from India to Tibet.

The lineage continued through several famous historical figures. Naropa taught Marpa Lotsawa, who was a Tibetan translator-yogi. Marpa then taught the famous Milarepa. Milarepa passed the teachings to Gampopa. Gampopa wrote many meditation manuals, which are collected in the *Dakpö Kambum*. These teachings eventually became central to the Kagyu school. They were also introduced to the Gelug school by Je Tsongkhapa. Tsongkhapa wrote a standard reference work called *A Book of Three Inspirations*. Because of this, many Gelug leaders, including the Dalai Lamas, have held this lineage.

Before starting the six dharmas, students must complete many preliminary steps. Tsongkhapa divided these into common and exclusive preliminaries. Common preliminaries involve *Sutrayana* practices. These include contemplating karma, death, and impermanence. Students also practice kindness, compassion, and the six perfections. These steps help students develop a stable desire for spiritual practice. Without them, Tsongkhapa argued, the practice would remain superficial. Exclusive preliminaries are *Vajrayana* practices. These include receiving initiation and practicing guru yoga.

The significance of these practices is seen in how they are studied today. In the Kagyu school, they remain a main tantric practice. Many practitioners engage in three-year retreats to study them. The practices connect the physical body to spiritual goals. They use physical exercises called *trül khor* involving various postures. These yogas bridge the gap between physical energy and mental states. By mastering the subtle body, the practitioner seeks to transform their consciousness. This connects the study of anatomy and energy to the pursuit of enlightenment.