Types of Namaskāra [ཕྱག་འཚལ]: Prostration or Showing Obeisance

Note: This is translated from Khedrup Karma Chagme's (17th century) text on 'Types and Benefits of Prostration'.

Non-Tantric Mahayana tradition

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Two types Namaskāra:

1. Five mandalas prostration (Pañcamaṇḍala-namaskāra):

Prostration, in which the head, the palms of the hands and the knees are placed on the ground.

2. Showing obeisance by clasping the leg:

Arhat and Bodhisattva, as a gesture of respect to their guru, they hold the legs of their guru from the calf and touch the forehead to the knee.

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Three types of Namaskāra (Body, Speech and Mind):

1. Body (kāyika):

Obeisance by means of your body. In the darkness, it is not recommended to bow down to your guru by touching your forehead to the ground, because you might hurt yourself in the darkness. Instead, one should offer obeisance with words, with hands joined together, or simply by bowing one's head.

2. Speech (vācika):

Obeisance by means of your speech.

3. Mind (caitasika):

Obeisance by means of your mind.

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Vajrayana system of Nyingma tradition

Three types: Outer, Inner and Secret:

1. The outer

Dressed in tantric robes, with the melodious tone, bowing down on the five points of the body [forehead, palms and knees].

2. The inner

After washing the mouth, face and hands, dressed in a beautiful garment and ornaments and holding one of the hand implements of the deity, perform Namaskāra with melodious ritual chanting and dancing movements.

3. The secret [Full-prostration]

On a smooth ground, where there are no stones or thorns, holding your breath, first bounce up a cubit or the length of an arrow from the ground and throw your body face down on the ground. Then strike the ground three times in succession with your right hand, your left hand, your forehead, your left foot and your right foot. This prostration is a method of atonement for those who have violated their samaya [sacred commitment].

Do not perform this full-prostration if you have no training in breathing practice. There is a danger of breaking your bones and injuring yourself. This full prostration fulfils the criteria of Trulkhor (yantra yoga), it embodies the meaning of Gotsangpa's Mahamudra of fervent devotion, because the prostration affects the breathing and helps to direct the air into the central channel. This brings about the realisation of Mahamudra. This full-prostration is not mentioned in the sutras. It is mentioned in the Nyingma tantras but it is not apparent in the tantras of the new translation schools.