multiple times. In retreat, that might take six months. Done mixed into daily life it might take years. Various ngöndros Ngöndro is an essential practice of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the indigenous Yungdrung Bön tradition. Each of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism—Gelug, Kagyu, Nyingma and Sakya have variations as to the order of the preliminaries, the refuge trees visualized, the lineage gurus and deities invoked, and prayers. Despite these differences all ngöndro practices have as their goal the enlightenment of the practitioner so that he/she may be of the greatest benefit to all sentient beings, i.e. the cultivation of bodhichitta. While some novices may feel that the ngöndro are somehow inferior to other tantric practices, they are a complete path to enlightenment in and of themselves. Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887) is said to have practiced the Longchen Nyingthig Ngöndro repeatedly throughout his life. Before receiving advanced tantric practices from a qualified spiritual teacher a ngöndro usually must be completed and fully internalized. This was not the case in India or early Tibet, however, as the formalized ngöndro known today was developed in Tibet. Bön There are two cycles of Ngöndro in Bön, Zhangzhung sNyan-rgyud and A-khrid. There are some minor differences between the two, however generally the practices are: Opening the Heart Meditation on Impermanence Admitting Misdeeds Bodhicitta Refuge Mandala Offering Purification Through Mantra Offering the Body Guru Yoga Prostrations are part of this and each practice is accumulated 100,000 times. Nyingma Longchen Nyingthig Ngöndro The Longchen Nyingthig (): "Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse") is a terma cycle revealed by the master Jigme Lingpa. Since its inception in the late 18th century, it has become one of the most widespread sets of teachings in the Nyingmapa tradition. It is particularly known and loved for its extensive commentarial literature, which includes practice manuals such as the famed Kunzang Lama'i Shelung ("Words of my Perfect Teacher"). These teachings were originally transmitted by the master Padmasambhava to King Trisong Deutsen, the Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal and the Lotsawa ("translator") Vairotsana at Samye Monastery in central Tibet. As the time for these teachings to spread was not yet right, they were then written in symbolic script by Yeshe Tsogyal, entrusted to the Dakinis, and hidden to be revealed at a later time. The king later reincarnated as the tertön ("treasure revealer") Jigme Lingpa. Then, recognizing the time was ripe