Osal Nyingpo ~
Essence of Luminosity

The Tantra known as The Secret Essence - Guya Gharba, is the basic teaching from the class of tantra that illuminates the meaning of the Vehicle of Secret Mantra. According to the Nyingmapa tradition of Vajrayana, this is the main corpus of the Kama tradition as taught by Lord Buddha Shakyamuni.

In the Nyingma tradition there are three major categories that the teachings and practices fall under. They are the Do (transmission lineage), the Gyud (lineage of the Magical Net Tantra of the Secret Essence) and the Sem (lineage of the Great Perfection). The Secret Essence Tantra is a highly condensed root teaching from the Gyud category which is the basis of practice for many scholars and practitioners of Tibet.

Each commentary is influenced by the view and perspective that the respective authors hold. The longest commentary written is by the Omniscient Longchenpa called Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions. Therefore, since the Omniscient Longchenpa was a great proponent of the Great Perfection, his commentary reflects his view and realization throughout. Je Mipham Rinpoche's commentary is also based on the general meaning of Tantra from the perspective of the Great Perfection. Known as Essence of Luminosity, it is also said to be an extremely synthesized version of Omniscient Longchenpa's Dispelling Darkness.

The commentary written by Lord Mipham Rinpoche is the subject for Khenpo Namdrol's teaching. Within it is an extensive introduction and history of the lineage. The bulk of the text covers the eleven topics of tantra which are: the view, conduct, arrangement of mandalas, stages of empowerment, words of honor, miraculous enlightened activity, fulfillment of aspirations, meditative stabilization, offerings, mantra and mudra. The subject of the view is the lengthiest section in the text. Mipham Rinpoche illuminates the view of the Great Perfection which is the truth of the inseparability of purity and equality (relative and absolute). Each topic is discussed from the perspective of the Great Perfection.