This is a talk for Padmasambhava Day 2008 at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre. Suriyavamsa takes a painting of Padmasambhava's Pure Land, Zangdog Palri, and through this visual key gives us an introduction to the Lotus Guru and how he functions as a teacher and guide. Suriyavamsa drwas on his personal connection with Padmasambhava and the legends surrounding his miraculous life. This is a very lively and instructive talk and is a great introduction to the figure of Padmasambhava.

Suriyavamsa begins by asking why, of all the teachers on the Triratna Buddhist Order Refuge Tree, is Padmasambhava the only teacher with his own festival? He describes how Padmasambhava brought the Dharma to Tibet, encountering and transforming inhospitable forces he encountered there. He then gives us four things that help to make us more receptive to the Dharma so that we're not prey to our demons and are acknowledging the legacies of our ancestors.