Path of Meditation - The Four Dharmas of Gampopa

The Four Dharmas are four aphorisms that capture the essence of the entire Buddhist path - from ignorance to awakening. They are common to all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, but were particularly popularized by Gampopa, who arranged them into the form of a prayer and wrote extensive instructions for each of these teachings.

Gampopa Sonam Rinchen (1079-1153) was one of the most significant masters of Tibetan Buddhism and a key figure in the Karma Kagyu lineage. He integrated the meditative experience of the Mahamudra tradition with the teachings of Kadampa and created a systematic path that shows how Buddhist teachings gradually transform the way a person perceives themselves, others, and the world. His teachings on the Four Dharmas remain to this day one of the foundational frameworks of this tradition.