Meditation on Vajrabhairava

In response to increasing interest in the study and practice of Highest Yoga Tantra, many highly qualified Tibetan lamas have given teachings and initiations into the mandalas of Highest Yoga tantric deities throughout the world. They strongly emphasize that the best way to make these teachings meaningful is to put them into practice through meditation. This retreat manual is presented here in order to enable people to do these meditations, as well as to dispel misconceptions about tantric practices. This important deity Vajrabhairava, with its five unique features is widely acclaimed as a crucial practice for our degenerate times. Therefore, those who have trained in the common paths and received the initiation of Vajrabhairava should be encouraged to do the retreat of this deity as often as possible and wherever possible, andto integrate this retreat practice into ordinary life. For this purpose, these instructions, given by Kyabje Phabongkha (1878-1941) to a cabinet minister in the Tibetan government in order to facilitate his practice in the midst of his pressing governmental duties, seem highly relevant to the busy lives of Dharma practitioners in these times. In order to make the retreat practice complete, an extensive sadhana of the Solitary Hero Vajrabhairava is included here, as well as other relevant materials for the accomplishment of the retreat. The texts have been clearly presented in English so that people with the necessary qualifications may understand the procedures of this practice to achieve the supreme goal.