Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was a siddha. He followed a great number of masters, and attained the highest degree of learnedness in most fields of knowledge. For us he was an embodiment of the original wakefulness of all buddhas, the lord of all mandalas -- a master who was indivisible from the mind of Padmasambhava. His heart was at peace in his compassionate resolve to liberate all beings. And it was this resolve that showed itself in the immense 'turning of the Wheel of Dharma' he manifested throughout his life.
Concerning guru yoga, there are outer, inner and innermost types of masters. The outer master is the one who explains us the general points of spiritual practice, how to begin the four times 100,000 preliminary practices. The inner master is the one who gives us Vajrayana empowerment and explains the meaning of the tantras, and how to implement the tantric teachings in our lives. The innermost master is the one who gives us the pointing out instruction, who 'brings us face to face' with the naked state of nondual awareness', so that we realize it in actuality within our own experience. In this way, the guru awakens the buddha from within our heart.
It is taught that compared to making offerings to all the buddhas of the ten directions there is more merit in making offerings to a single hair in one pore of the guru's body. So persevere in guru yoga. It is through the sincere practice of guru yoga that your three poison subside, that boundless samadhi unfold, and inconceivable benefit result; so definitely practice guru yoga.
Spoken by 4th Tsikey Chokling, Mingyur Dewey Dorje Trinley Kunkyab.