Great Treasury of Merit is a comprehensive explanation of Offering to the Spiritual Guide, one of the most profound meditation practices of Mahayana Buddhism.
In this highly acclaimed guide, Geshe Kelsang shows clearly how to rely upon a Spiritual Guide, the foundation of all spiritual attainments.
He explains the three essential components of Buddha's Sutras and Tantras - the two preliminary practices of the stages of the path and training the mind, and the actual swift path to full enlightenment, Vajrayana Mahamudra.
This book is a great wealth of spiritual guidance and an indispensable resource for those wishing to integrate all their spiritual practices into the Tantric swift path to full enlightenment.
Excerpt from this book:
From the chapter 'Visualizing the Field of Merit'
According to Offering to the Spiritual Guide we regard our Spiritual Guide as an emanation of Je Tsongkhapa, who in turn is an emanation of Buddha Shakyamuni, who in turn is an emanation of Conqueror Vajradhara. We can be certain that our Spiritual Guide is an emanation of Conqueror Vajradhara because Conqueror Vajradhara himself said that in degenerate times he would appear in an ordinary form as a Spiritual Guide. Because Buddhas have completely abandoned self-cherishing they are necessarily non-deceptive; therefore we must believe what Conqueror Vajradhara says.
In the golden age, when Buddha Shakyamuni was teaching, there were sentient beings who had a great deal of merit, and so they were able to see Buddha Shakyamuni directly. Some were even able to see him as a Supreme Emanation Body endowed with the major signs and minor indications. These days, however, when times are degenerate and sentient beings have little merit, we are not able to see Buddha's form directly. Even if a Buddha endowed with the hundred and twelve signs and indications were present in front of us we would be unable to see him. Impure minds can see only impure forms. Therefore, to make themselves accessible to sentient beings in these impure times, the Buddhas have to appear in ordinary forms as Emanation Bodies who appear to take rebirth from ordinary parents and are apparently subject to ageing, sickness, and death. However, they still perform the functions of a Buddha.
If we were to meet Buddha Shakyamuni directly, how would he help us? He would guide us by setting an immaculate example, teaching spiritual paths, and encouraging us in our practice. If we examine the actions of our present Spiritual Guide we will see that he or she is doing just this. Anyone who performs the actions of a Buddha must be a Buddha. Thus, although our Spiritual Guide appears in an ordinary form, we can be certain that he or she is a Buddha.
Everyone who has attained enlightenment in the past has done so with the intention of helping sentient beings, and every Buddha has promised to continue working for the benefit of others until all sentient beings have reached enlightenment. Since it is inconceivable that Buddhas would break their promise, we can be certain that all the Buddhas are still working to help us. If we ask who is helping us right now, the answer is our Spiritual Guide. Therefore, it follows that our Spiritual Guide is an emanation of the Buddhas.
