Revision as of 01:08, 16 June 2014 edit66.249.173.162 (talk) →Practice← Previous edit | Revision as of 07:06, 15 July 2014 edit undoMrDemeanour (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users4,040 edits →NyingmaNext edit → | ||
(17 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
{{Tibetan Buddhism}} | {{Tibetan Buddhism}} | ||
{{Bon}} | {{Bon}} | ||
'''Dzogchen''', (Rdzogs chen or Atiyoga, or "]"), is a central teaching of ] and the ] ] school. Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state or natural condition, and a body of teachings and meditation practices aimed at realizing that condition. | |||
According to Dzogchen literature, Dzogchen is the highest and most definitive path to enlightenment.<ref>Keown, Damien (2003), ''A Dictionary of Buddhism'', p. 82. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860560-9.</ref> | |||
The analogy given by Dzogchen masters is that one's nature is like a mirror which reflects with complete openness but is not affected by the reflections, or like a ] that takes on the colour of the material on which it is placed without itself being changed. The knowledge that ensues from recognizing this mirror-like clarity (which cannot be found by searching nor identified<ref>Third Dzogchen Rinpoche. ''Great Perfection''. Volume II. Snow Lion Publications 2008, page 152.</ref>) is what Dzogchenpas refer to as ].<ref>Namdak, Tenzin. ''Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings''. Vajra Publications 2006, page 97.</ref> | |||
==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
The Tibetan term ''dzogchen'' may be a rendering of the ] term ''mahāsandhi'',<ref>''Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection'' by the <nowiki></nowiki> Dalai Lama, Snow Lion, 2004. ISBN 1-55939-219-3. pg 208</ref> and is also used to render the Sanskrit term ''ati yoga'' (primordial yoga).<ref>Keown, Damien. (2003). ''A Dictionary of Buddhism'', p. 24. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860560-9.</ref> It has been translated variously as Great Perfection, Great Completeness, Total Completeness, and Supercompleteness.{{ |
The Tibetan term ''dzogchen'' may be a rendering of the ] term ''mahāsandhi'',<ref>''Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection'' by the <nowiki></nowiki> Dalai Lama, Snow Lion, 2004. ISBN 1-55939-219-3. pg 208</ref> and is also used to render the Sanskrit term ''ati yoga'' (primordial yoga).<ref>Keown, Damien. (2003). ''A Dictionary of Buddhism'', p. 24. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860560-9.</ref> It has been translated variously as Great Perfection, Great Completeness, Total Completeness, and Supercompleteness.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} These terms convey the idea that our ] is complete and without taints. | ||
The term ''dzogchen'' also designates a school of Tibetan buddhism, with a distinct practice and a body of teachings aimed at helping an individual to recognize the Dzogchen state, to become sure about it, and to develop the capacity to maintain the state continually.<ref name="Whitney1999" />{{refn|group=note|John Pettit: "Great Perfection" variously indicates the texts (''āgama, lung'') and oral instructions (''upadeśa, man ngag'') that indicate the nature of enlightened wisdom (''rdzogs chen gyi gzhung dang man ngag''), the verbal conventions of those texts (''rdzogs chen gyi chos skad''), the yogis who meditate according to those texts and instructions (''rdzogs chen gyi rnal <nowiki>'</nowiki>byor pa''), a famous monastery where the Great Perfection was practiced by monks and yogis (''rdzogs chen dgon sde''), and the philosophical system (''siddhānta, grub mtha<nowiki>'</nowiki>'') or vision (''darśana, lta ba'') of the Great Perfection.<ref name="Whitney1999">Pettit, John Whitney (1999). ''Mipham's beacon of certainty: illuminating the view of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection''. Somerville, MA, USA: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-157-2 (alk. paper) p.4</ref>}} | The term ''dzogchen'' also designates a school of Tibetan buddhism, with a distinct practice and a body of teachings aimed at helping an individual to recognize the Dzogchen state, to become sure about it, and to develop the capacity to maintain the state continually.<ref name="Whitney1999" />{{refn|group=note|John Pettit: "Great Perfection" variously indicates the texts (''āgama, lung'') and oral instructions (''upadeśa, man ngag'') that indicate the nature of enlightened wisdom (''rdzogs chen gyi gzhung dang man ngag''), the verbal conventions of those texts (''rdzogs chen gyi chos skad''), the yogis who meditate according to those texts and instructions (''rdzogs chen gyi rnal <nowiki>'</nowiki>byor pa''), a famous monastery where the Great Perfection was practiced by monks and yogis (''rdzogs chen dgon sde''), and the philosophical system (''siddhānta, grub mtha<nowiki>'</nowiki>'') or vision (''darśana, lta ba'') of the Great Perfection.<ref name="Whitney1999">Pettit, John Whitney (1999). ''Mipham's beacon of certainty: illuminating the view of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection''. Somerville, MA, USA: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-157-2 (alk. paper) p.4</ref>}} | ||
==Origins and history== | ==Origins and history== | ||
Dzogchen is part of both the Nyingma and Bon traditions, and both claim to be the originator. According to Alexander Berzin, three possibilities can be discerned:<ref group=web name="BerzinHistory" /> | |||
According to one ] tradition, the first master of the Buddhist Dzogchen lineage in our world was ] (Wylie: ''dga' rab rdo rje'', Sanskrit *''prahevajra'') from ] (Wylie:. ''o rgyan'').<ref></ref><ref></ref> | |||
# Dzogchen developed very early in Buddhism; it was transmitted in the Zhang-zhung area via Iran and Central Asia. In this case, Bön Dzogchen had a Buddhist origin, though not a directly Indian; | |||
# Buddhism became the state religion of Tibet in 779. In 784, a persecution of ''Bonpos'' took place. Followers of Bon learned Dzogchen from Guru Rinpoche. When the Zhang-zhung Bon faction went into exile in 784, their tradition, including the Dzogchen elements, remained alive in Tibet; | |||
# The Zhang-zhung Bonpos learned of Dzogchen when they were in exile, separate from Guru Rinpoche. | |||
According to Berzin, no decisive conclusion is possible.<ref group=web name="BerzinHistory" /> | |||
===Indian originators=== | |||
According to Garab Dorje, Dzogchen is said to have been passed down as listed below. Often, practitioners are said to have lived for hundreds of years, and there are inconsistencies in the lifespan dates given, making it impossible to construct a sensible timeline. | |||
===Bön=== | |||
# ] (Tib. ''Garab Dorje'', Wylie: ''dga' rab rdo rje'') 184 BCE to 57 CE | |||
Bön is a pre-Buddhist tradition, according to its own traditional accounts founded in Tazig (sTag-gzig), an Iranian cultural area of Central Asia, and brought to Zhang-zhung (western Tibet) in the 11th century BCE.<ref group=web name="BerzinHistory"></ref> Zhang-zhung was conquered by Yarlung (Central Tibet) in 645 CE, taking over Bön rituals. No Dzogchen teachings were known at that time in Tibet.<ref group=web name="BerzinHistory" /> | |||
# ] (Tib. ''Jampal Shenyen'', Wylie: '' 'jam dpal bshes gnyen'') 2nd century BCE (elder contemporary of Prahevajra) | |||
# ] (Tib. ''Palgyi Senge'', Wylie: '' dpal gyi senge'') 3rd century CE (500 years before Vimalamitra)<ref>''The Tantra that Reveals the Intrinsic Buddha Mind'', translated in :- Erik Pema Kunsang (translator) : ''Wellsprings of the Great Perfection''. Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Hong Kong, 2006. p. 215</ref> | |||
# ] (Tib. ''Pema Jungne'' or ''Guru Rinpoche'') fl. mid-8th CE | |||
# ] (Tib. ''Drime Shenyen'', Wylie: ''dri med bshes gnyen'') fl. late 8th CE | |||
# ] (Tib. ''Nampar Nangdze Lotsawa'', Wylie: ''rnam par snang mdzad lo tsa ba'' ) fl. late 8th CE. | |||
In the Bön religion, three separate Dzogchen traditions are attested and continue to be practiced: A-tri,{{refn|group=note|Wylie: ''a khrid''}} Dzogchen,{{refn|group=note|Wylie: ''rdzogs chen'', here referring narrowly to the specific lineage within the Bön tradition}} and Shang Shung Nyen Gyu.{{refn|group=note|Wylie: ''zhang zhung snyan rgyud''}} All are traced back to the founder of Bön, ].{{refn|group=note|Wylie: ''ston pa gshen rab mi bo che''}}{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} | |||
===Tibet=== | |||
Padmasambhava (Tib. ''Pema Jugne'' or ''Guru Rinpoche'', Wylie: ''padma 'byung gnas'', ''gu ru rin po che'') is considered the source of the Buddhist Dzogchen teachings in Tibet (Tib. ''bod''), which are the heart of the Nyingma (Wylie: ''rnying ma'') tradition, with which they are primarily associated. Dzogchen has also been practiced in the ] (Wylie: ''bka' brgyud'') lineage, beginning with ] (Wylie: ''mi la ras pa'') and most notably by the Third ], ] (Wylie:. ''rang byung rdo rje''). The ], ], and ] (present) ]s (Wylie: ''ta la'i bla ma'') are also noted Dzogchen masters, although their adoption of the practice of Dzogchen has been a source of controversy among more conservative members of the ] (Wylie: ''dge lugs'') tradition.<ref>"The Shugden Affair: Origins of a Controversy (Part I)" by Georges Dreyfus. Official website of the Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.<sup></sup></ref> | |||
===Nyingma=== | |||
In the Bön religion, three separate Dzogchen traditions are attested and continue to be practiced: A-tri (Wylie: ''a khrid''), Dzogchen (Wylie: ''rdzogs chen'', here referring narrowly to the specific lineage within the Bön tradition), and Shang Shung Nyen Gyu (Wylie: ''zhang zhung snyan rgyud''). All are traced back to the founder of Bön, ] (Wylie: ''ston pa gshen rab mi bo che'').{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} | |||
Buddhism was introduced into Tibet by Emperor Tri Songdetsen (Khri Srong sde-btsan), who was opposed to Zhang-zhung. In 761 he invited Shantarakshita to Tibet, who was deported by the Zhang-zhung faction. Next the Emperor invited Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who is traditionally regarded as having established Buddhism in Tibet.<ref group=web name="BerzinHistory" /> The Nyingma-tradition considers Padmasambhava{{refn|group=note|Tib. ''Pema Jugne'' or ''Guru Rinpoche'', Wylie: ''padma 'byung gnas'', ''gu ru rin po che''}} to be the transmittor of the Buddhist Dzogchen teachings in Tibet, which already existed in India. | |||
According to one ] tradition, the first master of the Buddhist Dzogchen lineage in our world was ](1th century CE){{refn|(Wylie: ''dga' rab rdo rje'', Sanskrit *''prahevajra''}} from ].{{refn|group=note|Wylie:. ''o rgyan''}}<ref></ref><ref></ref> According to Garab Dorje, Dzogchen is said to have been passed down as listed below. Often, practitioners are said to have lived for hundreds of years, and there are inconsistencies in the lifespan dates given, making it impossible to construct a sensible timeline. | |||
==Classification== | |||
# ]{{refn|group=note|Tib. ''Garab Dorje'', Wylie: ''dga' rab rdo rje''}} 184 BCE to 57 CE | |||
The Dzogchen teachings are the highest of the nine ], (Tibetan ''theg pa'', vehicle) of the Nyingma (Wylie: ''rnying ma'') school of Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan Bön (Wylie: ''bon'') tradition. Many lamas, particularly of the ] and ] schools, regard them as the most profound teachings altogether.<ref>''Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection'' by the Dalai Lama, trans. by Thupten Jinpa & Richard Barron, fore. by Sogyal Rinpoche, ed. by Patrick Gaffney. Snow Lion. 1559392193</ref> | |||
# ]{{refn|group=note|Tib. ''Jampal Shenyen'', Wylie: '' 'jam dpal bshes gnyen''}} 2nd century BCE (elder contemporary of Prahevajra) | |||
# ]{{refn|group=note|Tib. ''Palgyi Senge'', Wylie: '' dpal gyi senge''}} 3rd century CE (500 years before Vimalamitra)<ref>''The Tantra that Reveals the Intrinsic Buddha Mind'', translated in :- Erik Pema Kunsang (translator) : ''Wellsprings of the Great Perfection''. Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Hong Kong, 2006. p. 215</ref> | |||
# ]{{refn|group=note|Tib. ''Pema Jungne'' or ''Guru Rinpoche''}} fl. mid-8th CE | |||
# ]{{refn|group=note|Tib. ''Drime Shenyen'', Wylie: ''dri med bshes gnyen''}} fl. late 8th CE | |||
# ]{{refn|group=note|Tib. ''Nampar Nangdze Lotsawa'', Wylie: ''rnam par snang mdzad lo tsa ba''}} fl. late 8th CE. | |||
===Kagyu=== | |||
The instructions that point to the Dzogchen state are sometimes described as a set of "inner" or "heart" (Wylie: ''snying thig'') teachings. Tibetan Buddhist ascetics consider that the state pointed to by these teachings is very difficult to describe, and can only be discovered through the ] and ] by an authentic ] Master.<ref>], ''The Essence of the Three Statements of Garab Dorje: Based on an Oral Advice given by Khyenrab Chökyi Özer'', pp.39-57, 66-70</ref> | |||
Dzogchen has also been practiced in the ]{{refn|group=note|Wylie: ''bka' brgyud''}} lineage, beginning with ]{{refn|group=note|Wylie: ''mi la ras pa''}} and most notably by the Third ], ].{{refn|group=note|Wylie:. ''rang byung rdo rje''}} | |||
===Gelug=== | |||
Although Dzogchen cannot be separated from the Buddhist or Bön tradition, very often teachers emphasize the non religious character of Dzogchen. However, the Buddhist or Bön traditional framework is never negated. Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche says that, as our primordial nature, Dzogchen has existed since the beginning of time and is pointed to by various masters throughout the Universe.<ref>Norbu (1999)</ref> | |||
The ], ], and ] (present) ]s{{refn|group=note|Wylie: ''ta la'i bla ma''}} are also noted Dzogchen masters, although their adoption of the practice of Dzogchen has been a source of controversy among more conservative members of the ]{{refn|group=note|Wylie: ''dge lugs''}} tradition.<ref>"The Shugden Affair: Origins of a Controversy (Part I)" by Georges Dreyfus. Official website of the Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.<sup></sup></ref> | |||
== |
==Classification== | ||
The essence of the Dzogchen teaching is the direct transmission of knowledge from master to disciple. | |||
=== |
===Nine vehicles=== | ||
Tibetan Buddhism discerns nine "vehicles": three sutra, vehicles, three outer tantra vehicles, and thrre inner tantra vehicles. The Dzogchen teachings are the highest of the nine ],{{refn|group=note|Tibetan ''theg pa'', vehicle}} of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan Bön tradition.<ref>''Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection'' by the Dalai Lama, trans. by Thupten Jinpa & Richard Barron, fore. by Sogyal Rinpoche, ed. by Patrick Gaffney. Snow Lion. 1559392193</ref> | |||
The Dzogchen teachings focus on three terms: View, Meditation, and Action. To see directly the absolute state of our mind is the ''View''; the way of stabilizing that View and making it an unbroken experience is ''Meditation''; and integrating that View into our daily life is what is meant by ''Action''. | |||
] epitomized the Dzogchen teaching in three principles, known as the Three Statements of Garab Dorje (Tsik Sum Né Dek): | |||
#Direct introduction to one's own nature (Tib. ''ngo rang thog tu sprod pa'') | |||
#Not remaining in doubt concerning this unique state (Tib. ''thag gcig thog tu bcad pa'') | |||
#Continuing to remain in this state (Tib. ''gdeng grol thog tu bca' pa'') | |||
===Three series=== | |||
In accordance with these three statements, Garab Dorje's direct disciple Manjushrimitra (Tib. '''jam dpal bshes gnyen'') classified all the Dzogchen teachings transmitted by his master into three series: | |||
Garab Dorje's direct disciple Manjushrimitra{{refn|group=note|Tib. '''jam dpal bshes gnyen''}} classified all the Dzogchen teachings transmitted by his master into three series: | |||
# ] (Wylie: ''sems sde''; Skt: ''cittavarga''), the series of Mind, that focuses on the introduction to one's own primordial state; | # ] (Wylie: ''sems sde''; Skt: ''cittavarga''), the series of Mind, that focuses on the introduction to one's own primordial state; | ||
#] (Wylie: ''klong sde''; Skt: ''abhyantaravarga''), the series of Space, that focuses on developing the capacity to gain familiarity with the state and remove doubts; and | #] (Wylie: ''klong sde''; Skt: ''abhyantaravarga''), the series of Space, that focuses on developing the capacity to gain familiarity with the state and remove doubts; and | ||
# ] (Wylie: ''man ngag sde'', Skt: ''upadeshavarga''), the series of secret Oral Instructions, focusing on the practices in which one engages after gaining confidence in knowledge of the state. | # ] (Wylie: ''man ngag sde'', Skt: ''upadeshavarga''), the series of secret Oral Instructions, focusing on the practices in which one engages after gaining confidence in knowledge of the state.{{refn|group=note|Tulku Urgyen explains what is meant by "gaining confidence in liberation": "The third analogy of the liberation of thoughts is described as being like a thief entering an empty house. This is called stability or perfection in training. A thief entering an empty house does not gain anything, and the house does not lose anything. All thought activity is naturally liberated without any harm or benefit whatsoever. This is the meaning of gaining confidence in liberation."<ref>Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, page 314.</ref>}} | ||
===Parallel with Mahamudra=== | |||
Tulku Urgyen explains what is meant by "gaining confidence in liberation": "The third analogy of the liberation of thoughts is described as being like a thief entering an empty house. This is called stability or perfection in training. A thief entering an empty house does not gain anything, and the house does not lose anything. All thought activity is naturally liberated without any harm or benefit whatsoever. This is the meaning of gaining confidence in liberation."<ref>Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, page 314.</ref> | |||
Up to and including tregchöd, Dzogchen meditative practices are parallel to and seen by some to be identical with those of ].<ref name="Reginald Ray 2001, page 304">Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, page 304.</ref> | |||
=== |
===Non-religious character=== | ||
Although Dzogchen cannot be separated from the Buddhist or Bön tradition, very often teachers emphasize the non religious character of Dzogchen. However, the Buddhist or Bön traditional framework is never negated. Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche says that, as our primordial nature, Dzogchen has existed since the beginning of time and is pointed to by various masters throughout the Universe.<ref>Norbu (1999)</ref> | |||
Koppl notes that although later authors such as ] attempted to harmonize the view of Dzogchen with ], the earlier author ] did not: | |||
==Teachings== | |||
{{quote|Unlike Mipham, Rongzom did not attempt to harmonize the view of Mantra or Dzogchen with Madhyamaka.<ref>Koppl, Heidi. ''Establishing Appearances as Divine.'' Snow Lion Publications 2008, chapter 4.</ref>}} | |||
===Three principles=== | |||
Rongzom held that the views of sutra such as Madhyamaka were inferior to that of tantra, as Koppl notes: | |||
] epitomized the Dzogchen teaching in three principles, known as the Three Statements of Garab Dorje (Tsik Sum Né Dek): | |||
# Direct introduction to one's own nature (Tib. ''ngo rang thog tu sprod pa'') | |||
# Not remaining in doubt concerning this unique state (Tib. ''thag gcig thog tu bcad pa'') | |||
# Continuing to remain in this state (Tib. ''gdeng grol thog tu bca' pa'') | |||
According to ], the Dzogchen teachings focus on three terms: View, Meditation, and Action. | |||
{{quote|By now we have seen that Rongzom regards the views of the Sutrayana as inferior to those of Mantra, and he underscores his commitment to the purity of all phenomena by criticizing the Madhyamaka objectification of the authentic relative truth. <ref>Koppl, Heidi. ''Establishing Appearances as Divine.'' Snow Lion Publications 2008, chapter 4.</ref>}} | |||
* To see directly the absolute state of our mind is the ''View''; | |||
* the way of stabilizing that View and making it an unbroken experience is ''Meditation''; | |||
* and integrating that View into our daily life is what is meant by ''Action''. | |||
The instructions that point to the Dzogchen state are sometimes described as a set of "inner" or "heart" (Wylie: ''snying thig'') teachings. Tibetan Buddhist ascetics consider that the state pointed to by these teachings is very difficult to describe, and can only be discovered through the ] and ] by an authentic ] Master.<ref>], ''The Essence of the Three Statements of Garab Dorje: Based on an Oral Advice given by Khyenrab Chökyi Özer'', pp.39-57, 66-70</ref> | |||
=== |
===True nature=== | ||
This open awareness of Dzogchen, or ] (also comparable to the ]), is said to lie at the heart of all things and indeed of all Dzogchen practice and is nothing less than "... primordial wisdom's recognition of itself as unbounded wholeness... the incorruptible mindnature."<ref>Klein, Wangyal, ''Unbounded Wholeness'', Oxford University Press, 2006, p. v</ref> This reflexive awareness of Enlightenment is said to be inherent within all beings, but not to be attainable by thought.<ref>Klein and Wangyal, 2006, p. vi.</ref> ] points out that Dzogchen "refers to the true primordial state of every individual and not to any transcendent reality."<ref>Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, page 297.</ref> | |||
====Unbounded wholeness==== | |||
In discussing the Nyingma text, the ] Tantra,{{refn|group=note|''kunjed gyalpo'' <nowiki>=</nowiki> 'the all-creating king', synoymous with ] Buddha<ref>Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Adriano Clemente, ''The Supreme Source: The Fundamental Tantra of the Dzogchen Semde Kunjed Gyalpo'', Snow Lion, New York, 1999, p. 14</ref>}} Namkhai Norbu explains that Kunjed Gyalpo is in fact "beyond" the dualism inherent in the notion of an 'individual'. He writes: | |||
In Dzogchen Reality is seen as a limitless wholeness, a multiplicity which is yet all of one "taste", a borderless wholeness. According to Lopon Tenzin Namdak, it is unconditioned and permanent, changeless, not originated from causes and conditions, blissful, and the base or support of numerous exalted qualities.{{sfn|Klein|Wangyal|2006|p=68-69}} It is at once base, path, and fruit,{{sfn|Klein|Wangyal|2006|p=118}} and "unbounded wholeness," which is naturally complete.{{sfn|Klein|Wangyal|2006|p=118}} This inbounded wholeness is one's true nature, to which Dzogchen point, "the true primordial state of every individual",{{sfn|Ray|2001|p=297}} comparable to the ],{{sfn|Ray|2001|p=v}} yet it is not any transcendent reality.{{sfn|Ray|2001|p=297}} | |||
{{quote|The transmission of knowledge comes from the state of rigpa that has never been stained and has never been hindered. This is Adibuddha, or "primordial Buddha", Kunjed Gyalpo... The state of Kunjed Gyalpo is knowledge, and in knowledge there is not even the concept of "one and two", otherwise we have already entered into dualism. Also, the concept of "individual" presupposes dualistic vision. But Samantabhadra is beyond all this...<ref>Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Adriano Clemente, ''The Supreme Source: The Fundamental Tantra of the Dzogchen Semde Kunjed Gyalpo'', Snow Lion Publications, New York, 1999, p. 235</ref>}} | |||
Klein and Wangyal comment on the ultimate "one taste" and dynamic stillness of the Dzogchen state: | Klein and Wangyal comment on the ultimate "one taste" and dynamic stillness of the Dzogchen state: | ||
{{quote|... cause and effect, sentient beings and Buddhas, subjects and objects, path and goal are ultimately revealed to be of one taste: movement from one to the other is no movement at all, really, but a dynamic stillness. |
{{quote|... cause and effect, sentient beings and Buddhas, subjects and objects, path and goal are ultimately revealed to be of one taste: movement from one to the other is no movement at all, really, but a dynamic stillness.{{sfn|Klein|Wangyal|2006|p=48}}}} | ||
====Rigpa==== | |||
There can be found within Dzogchen a sense of Reality as limitless wholeness, a multiplicity which is yet all of one "taste", which is a borderless wholeness. According to Lopon Tenzin Namdak, it is unconditioned and permanent, changeless, not originated from causes and conditions, blissful, and the base or support of numerous exalted qualities.<ref>Klein, Wangyal, 2006, pp. 68-69</ref> "It is at once base, path, and fruit".<ref name="Klein and Wangyal, 2006, p. 118">Klein and Wangyal, 2006, p. 118</ref> "That reality, unbounded wholeness, is naturally complete."<ref name="Klein and Wangyal, 2006, p. 118"/> Also: "...the essence and base of self-arisen wisdom is the allbase, that primordial open awareness is the base, and that recognition of this base is not separate from the primordial wisdom itself. ...that open awareness is itself authentic and its authenticity is a function of it being aware of, or recognizing itself as, the base. ...The reflexively self-aware primordial wisdom is itself open awareness (''rigpa''), inalienably one with unbounded wholeness."<ref>Klein and Wangyal, 2006, p.109</ref> | |||
According to Klein and Wangyal: | |||
{{quote| the essence and base of self-arisen wisdom is the allbase, that primordial open awareness is the base, and that recognition of this base is not separate from the primordial wisdom itself that open awareness is itself authentic and its authenticity is a function of it being aware of, or recognizing itself as, the base The reflexively self-aware primordial wisdom is itself open awareness ('']''), inalienably one with unbounded wholeness."<ref>Klein and Wangyal, 2006, p.109</ref>}} | |||
This open awareness of Dzogchen, or ], is said to lie at the heart of all things and indeed of all Dzogchen practice and is | |||
===Logic and the syllogism=== | |||
{{quote| primordial wisdom's recognition of itself as unbounded wholeness the incorruptible mindnature.{{sfn|Ray|2001|p=v}}}} | |||
Germano (1992: p. 4) in his ] supervised by the ] and ], ] (b. 1923) discusses the typical view of the Dzogchen tradition towards the "syllogism" and by implication Buddhist Logic: | |||
Namkhai Norbu compares ''rigpa'' to ''Kunjed Gyalpo'', the "primordial Buddha", which is beyond dualism: | |||
{{quote|The tradition is especially striking in its implicit development of a model of rigorous philosophical thought that refuses to be reduced to syllogistic reasoning (though utilizing it as a secondary hermeneutical tool) or dismissed as mere "aesthetics" as it treats Buddhist Tantra as a serious philosophical innovation that must be utilized to reinterpret previous traditional scholasticism, in stark contrast to extend traditional scholastic methodologies into Tantra, and deny the revolution of "poetic thought" they may embody.|<ref name="vajrayana.faithweb.com">Germano, David Francis (1992). "Poetic thought, the intelligent Universe, and the mystery of self: The Tantric synthesis of ''rDzogs Chen'' in fourteenth century Tibet." The University of Wisconsin, Madison. Doctoral thesis. Source: (accessed: Friday December 18, 2009)</ref>}} | |||
{{quote|The transmission of knowledge comes from the state of rigpa that has never been stained and has never been hindered. This is Adibuddha, or "primordial Buddha", Kunjed Gyalpo The state of Kunjed Gyalpo is knowledge, and in knowledge there is not even the concept of "one and two", otherwise we have already entered into dualism. Also, the concept of "individual" presupposes dualistic vision. But Samantabhadra is beyond all this.<ref>Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Adriano Clemente, ''The Supreme Source: The Fundamental Tantra of the Dzogchen Semde Kunjed Gyalpo'', Snow Lion Publications, New York, 1999, p. 235</ref>}} | |||
The analogy given by Dzogchen masters is that one's true nature is like a mirror which reflects with complete openness, but is not affected by the reflections; or like a ] that takes on the colour of the material on which it is placed without itself being changed. The knowledge that ensues from recognizing this mirror-like clarity (which cannot be found by searching nor identified)<ref>Third Dzogchen Rinpoche. ''Great Perfection''. Volume II. Snow Lion Publications 2008, page 152.</ref> is called ].<ref>Namdak, Tenzin. ''Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings''. Vajra Publications 2006, page 97.</ref> | |||
===Three aspects of energy=== | |||
]]] | |||
Sentient beings have their energy manifested in three aspects: | |||
The reflexive awareness of Enlightenment is said to be inherent within all beings, but not to be attainable by thought.{{sfn|Klein|Wangyal|2006|p=vi}} | |||
# "dang" (Wylie: '''') | |||
# "rolpa" (Wylie: '''') | |||
# '"tsal" (Wylie: '''') | |||
====Continuum==== | |||
Energy of an individual on the ''dang'' level is essentially infinite and formless. | |||
According to Norbu, energy of an individual is essentially totally formless and free from any ]. It is maintained that there is nothing external or separate from the individual. What appears as a world of apparently external phenomena, is the energy of the individual him/her self. Everything that manifests in the individual's field of experience is a ] (Sanskrit: ''santana''; Tibetan: ''rgyud''). This is the ] that is discovered in the Dzogchen practice.<ref>Norbu (1999), pp. 99, 101</ref> | |||
Many practices of ] and yangthig work on the basis of functioning of the rolpa aspect | |||
of individual's energy. It is also the original source of the ] deities visualized in Buddhist ] transformational practices and of manifestations of 100 peaceful and wrathful deities in ] and ] practices. | |||
''Tsal'' is the manifestation of the energy of the individual him or herself, as apparently an "external" world.<ref>Norbu (1999), pp. 99, 100, 101</ref> The mind of a sentient being is also tsal energy when it is "contaminated" by the karmic "winds" (Tibetan: '']'').{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:25%;" | |||
|- | |||
|letter A | |||
|gDangs | |||
|Trekchö | |||
|Kadag | |||
|Dharmakaya | |||
|- | |||
|Thigle | |||
|Rolpa | |||
|Thögal | |||
|Lhungrub | |||
|Sambhogakaya | |||
|- | |||
|**** | |||
|rTsal | |||
|Yermed | |||
|Thugs rje | |||
|Nirmanakaya | |||
|- | |||
|} | |||
===External world versus continuum=== | |||
According to Dzogchen teachings, energy of an individual is essentially totally formless and free from any ]. However, ], contained in the ] of the individual's ] (Sanskrit: ''citta santana''; Tibetan: ''sems rgyud'') give rise to two kinds of forms: | |||
===Karma=== | |||
], contained in the ] of the individual's ]{{refn|group=note|Sanskrit: ''citta santana''; Tibetan: ''sems rgyud''}} give rise to two kinds of forms: | |||
* forms that the individual experiences as his or her body, voice and mind and | * forms that the individual experiences as his or her body, voice and mind and | ||
* forms that the individual experiences as an external environment. | * forms that the individual experiences as an external environment. | ||
It is maintained that there is nothing external or separate from the individual. What appears as a world of apparently external phenomena, is the energy of the individual him/her self. Everything that manifests in the individual's field of experience is a ] (Sanskrit: ''santana''; Tibetan: ''rgyud''). This is the ] that is discovered in the Dzogchen practice.<ref>Norbu (1999), pp. 99, 101</ref> | |||
===Guardians=== | |||
All teachings have energies that have special relationships with them. These energies are guardians of the teachings. The energies are iconographically depicted as they were perceived by yogis who had contact with them. The ]s most associated with Dzogchen are ] ({{bo|w=e ka dza ti}}), Dorje Legpa ({{bo|w=rdo rje legs pa}}) and Za Rahula ({{bo|w=gza' ra hu la}}) in the Nyingma and ] in the Bön tradition. The iconographic forms were shaped by perceptions and also by the culture of those who saw the original manifestation and by the development of the tradition. However the guardians are not merely symbols as the pictures show actual beings.<ref name="Norbu 1999, p. 129">Norbu (1999), p. 129</ref> | |||
===Well-being and health=== | |||
Dzogchen teachings maintain that the quality of people's lives is best when the internal ]s are balanced.<ref>Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (2002), p. 21</ref> The body is healthy when the elements are balanced.<ref></ref> They see the best way to balance the elements as abiding in the natural state.<ref>] (2002), p. 121</ref> | |||
==Practice== | ==Practice== | ||
Dzogchen practices aim to attain rigpa and integrate this into everyday life: | |||
Up to and including tregchöd (see below), Dzogchen meditative practices are parallel to and seen by some to be identical with those of ].<ref name="Reginald Ray 2001, page 304">Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, page 304.</ref> | |||
{{quote|The practical training of the Dzogchen path is traditionally, and most simply, described in terms of View, Mediation and Action. To see directly the Absolute state, the Ground of our being is the View; the way of stabilising that view, and making it an unbroken experience is Meditation; and integrating the View into our entire reality, and life, is what is meant by Action.<ref>Sogyal Rinpoche (1992), ''The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying'', p.151</ref>}} | |||
The ] or 'Instruction Class' of Dzogchen teachings are divided into two parts: ''Trekchö'' and ''Tögal'' (thod rgal). Ron Garry: | |||
===Preliminaries=== | |||
{{quote|The practice is that of Cutting through Solidity (khregs chod), which is related to primordial purity (ka dag); and Direct Vision of Reality (thod rgal), which is related to spontaneous presence (Ihun grub).<ref name="Dudjom Rinpoche 2005, page 296">Dudjom Rinpoche. ''Wisdom Nectar. '' Snow Lion 2005, page 296.</ref>}} | |||
Although many lamas require their students to complete the conventional tantric ngondro before starting Dzogchen practice, there is also a series of preliminary practices unique to Dzogchen. These include the ''Korday Rushan'' exercises ({{bo|t=འཁོར་འདས་རུ་ཤན|w='khor 'das ru shan}}) "differentiating saṃsāra and nirvāṇa,"<ref>Pettit, John Whitney (1999). ''Mipham's Beacon of Certainty: Illuminating the View of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection''. Boston: Wisdom Publications (1999). ISBN 0-86171-157-2. p.81</ref> which are described in such texts as the ''Yeshe Lama'' (Tib. ཡེ་ཤེས་བླ་མ་, Wyl. ''ye shes bla ma''). Rushan involves "going to a solitary spot and acting out whatever comes to your mind."<ref>Germano, David F. (1994). "Architecture and Absence in the Secret Tantric History of rDzogs Chen". In The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, vol. 17.2, p 262</ref> The Dzogchen preliminaries also include a series of exercises known as ''Semdzin'' (''sems dzin'').<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref> ''Semdzin'' literally means "to hold the mind" or "to fix mind."<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref> ''Semdzins'' are found in all three series of Dzogchen (Semde, Longde and Mennagde), but the twenty-one semdzins found in the latter are common; Longchenpa divides them into three series of seven.<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref> | |||
According to Longchenpa as reported by Reynolds, "the first group enables the practitioner to find him- or herself in a calm state, and thus the exercises are similar to the practice of Shamatha . . the exercises in the second group enable the practitioner to discover the relationship between body and mind. And those in the third group enable one to discover the nature of one's own condition."<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref> Exercises in the first category include "fixating on a white Tibetan letter A on the tip of one's nose. Linking the letter with one's breathing, it goes out into space with each exhalation and returns to the tip of the nose with each inhalation. This fixation inhibits the arising of extraneous thoughts . . . however, the second exercise in the same category involves the sounding of the syllable PHAT! which instantly shatters one's thoughts and attachments. Symbolically, the two parts of the syllable indicate the two aspects of enlightenment, that is, PHA signifies Means (''thabs'') and TA signifies Wisdom (''shes rab'')."<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref> | |||
=== |
===Trekchö=== | ||
The practice of Trekchö means "Cutting through Solidity".<ref name="Dudjom Rinpoche 2005, page 296" />{{refn|group=note|] associates Trekchö with ].{{sfn|Karma Chagme|Gyatrul Rinpoche|Wallace|1998|p=180}} He further equates Trekchö with ],{{sfn|Karma Chagme|Gyatrul Rinpoche|Wallace|1998|p=180}} which is more typical.}} | |||
After the indispensable preliminary of rushan, one remains in the knowledge of ] and practices ] (also sometimes spelled thogal). These are the main instructions presented in the ] series (Oral Instruction Series) of the Dzogchen teachings.<ref name="Norbu 1999, p. 129"/> | |||
====Preliminary practices==== | |||
In both the Bön and Buddhist Dzogchen traditions, ] is considered to be an important part of tregchöd.<ref>] (2002), p. 130</ref> | |||
Many lamas require their students to complete the conventional tantric ngondro before starting Dzogchen practice.{{sfn|Pettit|1999|p=81}} ''Trekchöd'' starts with nine preliminary practices, to prepare the student for the main practice.{{sfn|Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche|2001}}{{sfn|Pettit|1999|p=81}} | |||
=====''Rushan''===== | |||
Thödgal represents more a fruition than a practice itself. There are methods prepared in the event of a psychotic break to bring the practitioner back to sanity.<ref>Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, pages 318-319.</ref> | |||
''Trekchöd'' has a specific preliminary practice,{{refn|group=note|Wylie: '']''}}, ''rushan'', which may be rendered into English as "differentiating saṃsāra and nirvāṇa".{{refn|group=note|Korday Rushen'''; {{bo|t=འཁོར་འདས་རུ་ཤན|w='khor 'das ru shan}}}}{{sfn|Pettit|1999|p=81}} Rushan involves "going to a solitary spot and acting out whatever comes to your mind."<ref>Germano, David F. (1994). "Architecture and Absence in the Secret Tantric History of rDzogs Chen". In The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, vol. 17.2, p 262</ref> | |||
=====''Semdzin''===== | |||
In contrast to other kinds of tantric practices, there is no intentional visualization; rather, imagery appears spontaneously using secondary conditions such as darkness or light. Eventually a practitioner has experiences which are viewed as knowing the subtle energies of one's being. These have the qualities of earth, water, fire, air and space (see ]). Throughout the retreat, a practitioner is believed to be approaching an experience which is entirely unconditioned.<ref>Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, pages 319-322.</ref> | |||
The Dzogchen preliminaries also include a series of exercises known as ''Semdzin'' (''sems dzin'').<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref> ''Semdzin'' literally means "to hold the mind" or "to fix mind."<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref> ''Semdzins'' are found in all three series of Dzogchen (Semde, Longde and Mennagde), but the twenty-one semdzins found in the latter are common; Longchenpa divides them into three series of seven.<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref> | |||
According to Longchenpa as reported by Reynolds, | |||
{{quote|he first group enables the practitioner to find him- or herself in a calm state, and thus the exercises are similar to the practice of Shamatha he exercises in the second group enable the practitioner to discover the relationship between body and mind. And those in the third group enable one to discover the nature of one's own condition."<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref>}} | |||
Exercises in the first category include "fixating on a white Tibetan letter A on the tip of one's nose. Linking the letter with one's breathing, it goes out into space with each exhalation and returns to the tip of the nose with each inhalation. This fixation inhibits the arising of extraneous thoughts . . . however, the second exercise in the same category involves the sounding of the syllable PHAT! which instantly shatters one's thoughts and attachments. Symbolically, the two parts of the syllable indicate the two aspects of enlightenment, that is, PHA signifies Means (''thabs'') and TA signifies Wisdom (''shes rab'')."<ref>Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81 <sup></sup></ref> | |||
===Sleep yoga=== | |||
] states: | |||
{{quote|After a session of prana meditation, I began sleep yoga.<ref>Ricard, Matthieu. ''The Collected Works of Dilgo Khyentse Volume Three.'' Shambala Publications 2010, page 471.</ref>}} | |||
====Main practice==== | |||
] states: | |||
The main practice starts with ''zhiné'', ].{{sfn|Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche|2001|p=75-86}} ''Zhiné'' develops from a forced practice into a natural, effortless state.{{sfn|Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche|2001|p=65}} There-after the "true nature" is ]{{sfn|Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche|2001|p=66, 83-86}} by a qualified teacher,{{sfn|Batchelor|2010}} and leads to ].{{sfn|Newman|2004|p=54}} Thödgal represents more a fruition than a practice itself.{{sfn|Ray|2001|p=318-319}} | |||
{{quote|You should sleep lying on your right side in the lion posture while visualizing a red four-petaled lotus in your heart center. In the center of this lotus, see your root guru in the form of Guru Rinpoche....Fall asleep while remaining in that state.<ref>Ricard, Matthieu. ''The Collected Works of Dilgo Khyentse Volume Three.'' Shambala Publications 2010, page 471.</ref>}} | |||
The main trekchö instructions in the ] state: | |||
===Rigpa and rainbow body=== | |||
{{quote|This instant freshness, unspoiled by the thoughts of the three times, <br /> | |||
] | |||
You directly see in actuality by letting be in naturalness.<ref>Schmidt, Erik. (2001). ''The Light of Wisdom Vol IV.'' Kathmandu: Rangjung Yeshe Publications. p.77</ref>}} | |||
] has three wisdoms, which are kadag, lhun grub and thugs rje. Kadag deals with ].<ref name="Dudjom Rinpoche 2005, page 296">Dudjom Rinpoche. ''Wisdom Nectar. '' Snow Lion 2005, page 296. "The practice is that of Cutting through Solidity (khregs chod), which is related to primordial purity (ka dag); and Direct Vision of Reality (thod rgal), which is related to spontaneous presence (Ihun grub)."</ref> The lhun grub aspect has to do with esoteric practices, such as (but not limited to) ], that self-liberate the human body into a ] (rainbow body phenomenon).<ref name="Dudjom Rinpoche 2005, page 296"/><ref>Dalai Lama. (2004). ''Dzogchen'', pg. 32. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 978-1-55939-219-8.</ref> The symbol of Dzogchen is a Tibetan A wrapped in a thigle. The A represents kadag while the thigle represents lhun grub. The third wisdom, thugs rje (compassion), is the inseparability of the previous two wisdoms. | |||
] states: | |||
In Dzogchen, a fundamental point of practice is to distinguish rigpa from sems (mind).<ref>Kunsang, Erik Pema. ''Perfect Clarity. '' Ranjung Yeshe 2012, page 154.</ref> | |||
{{quote|''Trekchö'' is the thorough cut of cutting through, cutting the obscurations completely to pieces, like slashing through them with a knife. So the past thought has ceased, the future thought hasn't yet arisen, and the knife is cutting through this stream of present thought. But one doesn't keep hold of this knife either; one lets the knife go, so there is a gap. When you cut through again and again in this way, the string of thought falls to pieces. If you cut a rosary in a few places, at some point it doesn't work any longer.{{sfn|Schmidt|2002|p=38}}}} | |||
Insight leads to ''nyamshag'', "being present in the state of clarity and emptiness".{{sfn|Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche|2001|p=87}} | |||
The ultimate fruition of the thodgal practices is a body of pure light, called a ] (] 'ja' lus, pronounced Jalü.)<ref name="Reginald Ray 2001, page 323">Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, page 323.</ref> If the four visions of thogal are not completed before death, then at death, from the point of view of an external observer, the following happens: the corpse does not start to decompose, but starts to shrink until it disappears. Usually fingernails, toenails and hair are left behind<ref>Norbu (1999), pp. 158-161</ref> (see e.g. ], ], ].) The attainment of the rainbow body is typically accompanied by the appearance of lights and rainbows.<ref name="Reginald Ray 2001, page 323"/> | |||
===Lhundrub Tögal=== | |||
Some exceptional practitioners such as ] and ] are held to have realized a higher type of rainbow body without dying. Having completed the four visions before death, the individual focuses on the lights that surround the fingers. His or her physical body self-liberates into a nonmaterial body of light (a ]) with the ability to exist and abide wherever and whenever as pointed by one's compassion.<ref>Matthieu, Richard. 2001. ''The Life of Shakbar.'' Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications. pg. 153</ref> | |||
{{See also|Ösel (yoga)}} | |||
''Lhundrub Tögal'' is the compassionate or ] aspect of rigpa.<ref group=web name="rigpawiki-togal"></ref>{{sfn|Dalai Lama|2004|p=32}} ''Lhündrub Tögal''{{refn|group=note|{{bo|t=ལྷུན་གྲུབ་ཐོད་རྒལ།|w=lhun grub thod rgal}}}} means "spontaneous presence",{{sfn|Rinpoche Dzogchen Ponlop|2003}}{{sfn|Dalai Lama|2004}} "direct crossing",{{sfn|Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche|1994|p=44}} | |||
===Apperception=== | |||
or "direct crossing of spontaneous presence".{{sfn|Schmidt|2002}} The literal meaning is "to proceed directly to the goal without having to go through intermediate steps."{{sfn|Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche|1994|p=224}} It is a training to enhance the realization of the view,{{sfn|Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche|1994|p=170}} the practice of the ].{{sfn|Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche|2004|p=77}} | |||
']'<ref name="Pettit 1999 129">{{cite book | |||
| last = Pettit | |||
| first = John Whitney | |||
| authorlink = | |||
| coauthors = | |||
| title = Mipham's Beacon of Certainty: Illuminating the View of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection | |||
| publisher = Wisdom Publications | |||
| year = 1999 | |||
| location = Boston | |||
| url = | |||
| doi = | |||
| isbn = 0-86171-157-2 | |||
| pages = 129}}</ref> (Sanskrit: ]/svasaṃvitti; Wylie: rang rig)<ref name="Paul Williams 1998">] (1998, 2000). ''The Reflexive Nature of Awareness: A Tibetan Madhyamaka Defence''. Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7007-1030-0, p.xi</ref> is understood variously in different ], ], and practice ]. These cosmetic differences are resolved in the practice of '] ]' (Wylie: 'jog pa).<ref>{{cite book | |||
| last = Pettit | |||
| first = John Whitney | |||
| authorlink = | |||
| coauthors = | |||
| title = Mipham's Beacon of Certainty: Illuminating the View of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection | |||
| publisher = Wisdom Publications | |||
| year = 1999 | |||
| location = Boston | |||
| url = | |||
| doi = | |||
| isbn = 0-86171-157-2 | |||
| pages = 126}}</ref> For it is in the direct experience and associated literatures of the deep contemplative traditions of Himalayan Buddhism (], ]ese Buddhism, ]ese Buddhism, etc.) and ], particularly Dzogchen and Mahamudra, that apperception is key, e.g. ] (Tibetan: ''mun mtshams''<ref name="Allione, Tsultrim 2007">Allione, Tsultrim (2000). ''Women of Wisdom''. (Includes transcribed interview with ]) Source: (accessed: November 15, 2007)</ref>). | |||
''Thod rgal'' is also called "the practice of vision",<ref group=web name="OTZZ"></ref> or "the practice of the Clear Light ('''od-gsal'')".<ref group=web name="OTZZ" /> The ''Clear Light'' is a phenomenological description of the true nature, and a positive counterweight against the negatively perceived ] of the ] philosophy.{{sfn|Garfield|Edelglass|2011|p=272}} The practice entails progressing through the ''four visions'',{{sfn|Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche|1994|p=38}} using visual manifestations{{sfn|Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche|2004|p=77}} and various kinds of light.{{sfn|Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche|1994|p=44}} The ''tögal'' teachings in the ''Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud'' describe the clear light and the natural arising visions, and how they can be used in the training.{{sfn|Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche|2000|p=166}} Mandalas, ''tiglés'', white points, circular rainbows, images of Buddhas, deities, and Buddha dimensions may also appear.{{sfn|Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche|2000|p=167}} | |||
In the language of ], 'rang rig' (Wylie) is 'nges de shin'<ref>Jacques, Guillaume (2008). ''Zhang-zhung and Qiangic languages''. National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka. Source: (accessed: Sunday April 12, 2009), p.6</ref> where 'shin' equates to 'shes pa'. The Zhangzhung lexical item 'shin' is found in many compounds (Martin, 2004: p. 158<ref>Martin, Dan 2004. ''Zhang-zhung dictionary''. electronic publication.</ref>) where it means: 'to know' and 'knowledge' to both nominal and verbal/process oriented ]s. | |||
====Sky gazing==== | |||
Pettit (1999: p. 129) holds that 'apperception' (Wylie: rang rig) is key to ]'s (1846–1912) system of epistemology and hermeneutics discussed in the DRG<ref>DRG = Mipham's 'Don rnam par nges pa'i shes rab ral gri' (Wylie) a text within 'lHag bsam bstan pa'i ryal mtshan, 1984' (Wylie)</ref> and in Mipham's ''Commentary'' to the Ninth Chapter of the '']''.<ref name="Pettit 1999 129"/> | |||
In both the Bön and Buddhist Dzogchen traditions, ] is considered to be an important part of tregchöd.<ref>] (2002), p. 130</ref> | |||
Thödgal represents more a fruition than a practice itself. There are methods prepared in the event of a psychotic break to bring the practitioner back to sanity.<ref>Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, pages 318-319.</ref> | |||
] and ] (2005: p. 480) contrast the ']' of ] and ] with that of Dzogchen: | |||
In contrast to other kinds of tantric practices, there is no intentional visualization; rather, imagery appears spontaneously using secondary conditions such as darkness or light. Eventually a practitioner has experiences which are viewed as knowing the subtle energies of one's being. These have the qualities of earth, water, fire, air and space (see ]). Throughout the retreat, a practitioner is believed to be approaching an experience which is entirely unconditioned.<ref>Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, pages 319-322.</ref> | |||
{{quote|According to Indian Buddhist epistemology, and particularly in the writings of the great logicians ''Dignāga'' and ''Dharmakīrti'', the term '']'' refers to the apperceptive or reflexive faculty of consciousness, for which reason it is sometimes rendered as 'reflexive awareness' or 'apperceptive awareness'. However, in the view of the Great Perfection (''rdzog-pa chen-po'') and in the context of the present work <nowiki>]<nowiki>]</nowiki>, the same term refers to the fundamental innate mind in its natural state of spontaneity and purity, beyond the alternating states of motion and rest and the subject-object dichotomy. It is therefore rendered here as 'intrinsic awareness'. As such, intrinsic awareness gives the meditator access to pristine cognition or the buddha-mind itself, and it stands in direct contrast to fundamental ignorance (''avidyā''), which is the primary cause of rebirth in cyclic existence (''saṃsāra''). The direct introduction to intrinsic awareness is a distinctive teaching within the Nyingma school.... This practice is a central component of the Esoteric Instruction Class (''upadeśa'') of Atiyoga, where it is known as Cutting through Resistance (''khregs-chod'').|<ref>Padmasambhava (composed), Karma Linga (revealed), Gyurme Dorje (translated), Graham Coleman (Editor) and Thupten Jinpa (Associate) (2006). ''The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate States''. London, England: Penguin Books Ltd. ISBN 978-0-14-045529-8. p.480</ref>}} | |||
==Texts== | |||
Dzogchen instructions are found in some ] texts, as it may simply have been the associated ] practice. However, the majority of the Dzogchen corpus comprises the ] texts, the ] tantras, and the ] termas. | |||
] (Tib. bsam gtan mig sgron) is a Tibetan text of historical importance for the historical relationship of Dzogchen and ] as well identifying the view of its author, ]. | |||
====Rainbow Body==== | |||
] of Dzogchen ]-varga. | |||
Lhun grub practice may lead to full enlightenment and the transformation of the human body into a ]{{refn|group=note|Wylie: 'ja' lus, pronounced Jalü}} at the moment of death,{{sfn|>Dalai Lama|2004|p=204}} when all the fixation and grasping has been exhausted.{{sfn|Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche|1994|p=233}} It is a nonmaterial body of light with the ability to exist and abide wherever and whenever as pointed by one's compassion.<ref name="Dudjom Rinpoche 2005, page 296"/><ref name="MR" /><ref name="Reginald Ray 2001, page 323">Reginald Ray, ''Secret of the Vajra World''. Shambhala 2001, page 323.</ref> It is a manifestation of the ].<ref name="MR">Matthieu, Richard. 2001. ''The Life of Shakbar.'' Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications. pg. 153</ref> | |||
Some exceptional practitioners such as ] and ] are held to have realized a higher type of rainbow body without dying. Having completed the four visions before death, the individual focuses on the lights that surround the fingers. His or her physical body self-liberates into a nonmaterial body of light (a ]) with the ability to exist and abide wherever and whenever as pointed by one's compassion.<ref>Matthieu, Richard. 2001. ''The Life of Shakbar.'' Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications. pg. 153</ref> | |||
These Seventeen Tantra amongst other Dzogchen texts are included in the various divergences and holdings of the numerous extant ] editions.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
{{ |
{{div col|cols=4}} | ||
*] | *] | ||
*] | *] | ||
*] | *] | ||
*] | *] | ||
{{multicol-break}} | |||
*] | *] | ||
*] | *] | ||
*] | *] | ||
*] | *] | ||
{{multicol-break}} | |||
*] | *] | ||
*] | *] | ||
Line 224: | Line 174: | ||
*] | *] | ||
*] | *] | ||
{{ |
{{end div col}} | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
Line 233: | Line 183: | ||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
===Published sources=== | |||
{{refbegin}} | |||
* {{Citation| last = Anyen Rinpoche| year =2012 | title =Journey to Certainty | publisher =Wisdom Publications }} | * {{Citation| last = Anyen Rinpoche| year =2012 | title =Journey to Certainty | publisher =Wisdom Publications }} | ||
* Capriles, Elías. ''Buddhism and Dzogchen. Part 1 - Buddhism: a Dzogchen Outlook.'' Published on the web at | * Capriles, Elías. ''Buddhism and Dzogchen. Part 1 - Buddhism: a Dzogchen Outlook.'' Published on the web at | ||
* {{Citation | last =Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche | year =1994 | title =Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen | publisher =Rangjung Yeshe Publications}} | |||
* {{Citation | last =Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche | year =2004 | title =The Bardo Guidebook | publisher =Rangjung Yeshe Publications}} | |||
* {{Citation | last =Dalai Lama | year =2004 | title =Dzogchen. Heart Essence of the Great Perfection | publisher =Snow Lion Publications | isbn =978-1-55939-219-8}} | |||
* ] (1991). ''The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Vol. 1''. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-087-8 | * ] (1991). ''The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Vol. 1''. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-087-8 | ||
* ] (2008). ''Yeshe Lama''. Snow Lion. ISBN 9781559392945 | * ] (2008). ''Yeshe Lama''. Snow Lion. ISBN 9781559392945 | ||
* Karmey, Samten G. (1975). ''A General Introduction to the History and Doctrines of Bon''. Memoirs of the Research Department of the Toyo Bunko, No. 33, pp. 171–218. Tokyo. (Especially Chapter 9 on rDzogs-chen on pp. 213–215). | * Karmey, Samten G. (1975). ''A General Introduction to the History and Doctrines of Bon''. Memoirs of the Research Department of the Toyo Bunko, No. 33, pp. 171–218. Tokyo. (Especially Chapter 9 on rDzogs-chen on pp. 213–215). | ||
* Klein |
* {{Citation | last1 =Klein | first1 =Anne Carolyn | last2 =Wangyal | first2 =Geshe Tenzin Rinpoche | year =2006 | title =Unbounded Wholeness | publisher =Oxford University Press}} | ||
* ] (1999). ''The Crystal and The Way of Light: Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-135-9 | * ] (1999). ''The Crystal and The Way of Light: Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen''. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-135-9 | ||
* ] (1992). ''Dream Yoga and the Practice Of Natural Light'' editor Michael Katz. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-007-7 | * ] (1992). ''Dream Yoga and the Practice Of Natural Light'' editor Michael Katz. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-007-7 | ||
Line 245: | Line 201: | ||
* ]. ''The Mirror: Advice on Presence and Awareness (dran pa dang shes bzhin gyi gdams pa me long ma)''. Religions 2013;4(3):412-422. http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/4/3/412 | * ]. ''The Mirror: Advice on Presence and Awareness (dran pa dang shes bzhin gyi gdams pa me long ma)''. Religions 2013;4(3):412-422. http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/4/3/412 | ||
* ] (1998). ''Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos''. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0861711314 | * ] (1998). ''Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos''. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0861711314 | ||
* Pettit |
* {{Citation | last =Pettit | first =John Whitney | year =1999 | title =Mipham's beacon of certainty: illuminating the view of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection | publisher =Wisdom Publications | isbn =0-86171-157-2}} | ||
* ] (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master.'' Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 | * ] (1996). ''The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master.'' Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 | ||
* ] (2005). ''The Oral Tradition from Zhang-Zhung: An Introduction to the Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings of the Oral Tradition from Zhang-Zhung Known as the Zhang-zhung snyan-rgyud''. Vajra Publications. ISBN 99946-644-4-1 | * ] (2005). ''The Oral Tradition from Zhang-Zhung: An Introduction to the Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings of the Oral Tradition from Zhang-Zhung Known as the Zhang-zhung snyan-rgyud''. Vajra Publications. ISBN 99946-644-4-1 | ||
* {{Citation | last =Ray | first =Reginald | year =2001 | title =Secret of the Vajra World | publisher =Shambhala}} | |||
* {{Citation| last =Sogyal Rinpoche| year =2009| title =The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying| publisher =Harper Collins, Kindle Edition}} | * {{Citation| last =Sogyal Rinpoche| year =2009| title =The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying| publisher =Harper Collins, Kindle Edition}} | ||
* ] (2007). ''Natural Radiance: Awakening to Your Great Perfection''. Sounds True. ISBN 1-59179-612-1 | * ] (2007). ''Natural Radiance: Awakening to Your Great Perfection''. Sounds True. ISBN 1-59179-612-1 | ||
* ] (1977). ''Time, Space, and Knowledge: A New Vision of Reality.'' Berkeley, CA: Dharma Publishing. ISBN 0-913546-08-9 | * ] (1977). ''Time, Space, and Knowledge: A New Vision of Reality.'' Berkeley, CA: Dharma Publishing. ISBN 0-913546-08-9 | ||
* {{Citation | last =Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche | year =2000 | title =Wonders of the Natural Mind: The Essence of Dzogchen in the Native Bon Tradition of Tibet | publisher =Snow Lion Publications}} | |||
* {{Citation | last =Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche | year =2001 | title =Het wonder van onze oorspronkelijke geest. Dzokchen in de bontraditie van Tibet (Dutch translation of "Wonders of the Natural Mind") | publisher =Elmar BV}} | |||
* ] (2002). ''Healing with Form, Energy, and Light''. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-176-6 | * ] (2002). ''Healing with Form, Energy, and Light''. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-176-6 | ||
* ] and ](2006). ''Unbounded Wholeness: Dzogchen, Bon and the Logic of the Nonconceptual.'' Oxford University. ISBN 0-19-517850-5 | * ] and ](2006). ''Unbounded Wholeness: Dzogchen, Bon and the Logic of the Nonconceptual.'' Oxford University. ISBN 0-19-517850-5 | ||
{{refend}} | |||
===Web-sources=== | |||
{{reflist|group=web}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== |
Revision as of 07:06, 15 July 2014
This article is about the primordial state in Tibetan Buddhism and Bön. For the monastery, see Dzogchen Monastery.Dzogchen | |||||||||||
Tibetan name | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tibetan | རྫོགས་ཆེན་ | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Chinese name | |||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 大究竟、 大圓滿、 大成就 | ||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 大究竟、 大圆满、 大成就 | ||||||||||
|
Part of a series on |
Tibetan Buddhism |
---|
Schools |
Key personalities
|
Teachings
|
Practices and attainment |
Major monasteries |
Institutional roles |
Festivals |
Texts |
Art |
History and overview |
Part of a series on |
Bon |
---|
Philosophy |
Practices |
Leaders |
Gods |
Institutions |
Related religions |
Dzogchen, (Rdzogs chen or Atiyoga, or "Great Perfection"), is a central teaching of Bön and the Tibetan Buddhist Nyingma school. Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state or natural condition, and a body of teachings and meditation practices aimed at realizing that condition.
According to Dzogchen literature, Dzogchen is the highest and most definitive path to enlightenment.
Etymology
The Tibetan term dzogchen may be a rendering of the Sanskrit term mahāsandhi, and is also used to render the Sanskrit term ati yoga (primordial yoga). It has been translated variously as Great Perfection, Great Completeness, Total Completeness, and Supercompleteness. These terms convey the idea that our nature is complete and without taints.
The term dzogchen also designates a school of Tibetan buddhism, with a distinct practice and a body of teachings aimed at helping an individual to recognize the Dzogchen state, to become sure about it, and to develop the capacity to maintain the state continually.
Origins and history
Dzogchen is part of both the Nyingma and Bon traditions, and both claim to be the originator. According to Alexander Berzin, three possibilities can be discerned:
- Dzogchen developed very early in Buddhism; it was transmitted in the Zhang-zhung area via Iran and Central Asia. In this case, Bön Dzogchen had a Buddhist origin, though not a directly Indian;
- Buddhism became the state religion of Tibet in 779. In 784, a persecution of Bonpos took place. Followers of Bon learned Dzogchen from Guru Rinpoche. When the Zhang-zhung Bon faction went into exile in 784, their tradition, including the Dzogchen elements, remained alive in Tibet;
- The Zhang-zhung Bonpos learned of Dzogchen when they were in exile, separate from Guru Rinpoche.
According to Berzin, no decisive conclusion is possible.
Bön
Bön is a pre-Buddhist tradition, according to its own traditional accounts founded in Tazig (sTag-gzig), an Iranian cultural area of Central Asia, and brought to Zhang-zhung (western Tibet) in the 11th century BCE. Zhang-zhung was conquered by Yarlung (Central Tibet) in 645 CE, taking over Bön rituals. No Dzogchen teachings were known at that time in Tibet.
In the Bön religion, three separate Dzogchen traditions are attested and continue to be practiced: A-tri, Dzogchen, and Shang Shung Nyen Gyu. All are traced back to the founder of Bön, Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche.
Nyingma
Buddhism was introduced into Tibet by Emperor Tri Songdetsen (Khri Srong sde-btsan), who was opposed to Zhang-zhung. In 761 he invited Shantarakshita to Tibet, who was deported by the Zhang-zhung faction. Next the Emperor invited Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who is traditionally regarded as having established Buddhism in Tibet. The Nyingma-tradition considers Padmasambhava to be the transmittor of the Buddhist Dzogchen teachings in Tibet, which already existed in India.
According to one Nyingma tradition, the first master of the Buddhist Dzogchen lineage in our world was Garab Dorje(1th century CE) from Uddiyana. According to Garab Dorje, Dzogchen is said to have been passed down as listed below. Often, practitioners are said to have lived for hundreds of years, and there are inconsistencies in the lifespan dates given, making it impossible to construct a sensible timeline.
- Prahevajra 184 BCE to 57 CE
- Mañjuśrīmitra 2nd century BCE (elder contemporary of Prahevajra)
- Śrī Siṃha 3rd century CE (500 years before Vimalamitra)
- Padmasambhava fl. mid-8th CE
- Vimalamitra fl. late 8th CE
- Vairotsana fl. late 8th CE.
Kagyu
Dzogchen has also been practiced in the Kagyu lineage, beginning with Milarepa and most notably by the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje.
Gelug
The Fifth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth (present) Dalai Lamas are also noted Dzogchen masters, although their adoption of the practice of Dzogchen has been a source of controversy among more conservative members of the Gelug tradition.
Classification
Nine vehicles
Tibetan Buddhism discerns nine "vehicles": three sutra, vehicles, three outer tantra vehicles, and thrre inner tantra vehicles. The Dzogchen teachings are the highest of the nine yana, of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan Bön tradition.
Three series
Garab Dorje's direct disciple Manjushrimitra classified all the Dzogchen teachings transmitted by his master into three series:
- Semde (Wylie: sems sde; Skt: cittavarga), the series of Mind, that focuses on the introduction to one's own primordial state;
- Longde (Wylie: klong sde; Skt: abhyantaravarga), the series of Space, that focuses on developing the capacity to gain familiarity with the state and remove doubts; and
- Menngagde (Wylie: man ngag sde, Skt: upadeshavarga), the series of secret Oral Instructions, focusing on the practices in which one engages after gaining confidence in knowledge of the state.
Parallel with Mahamudra
Up to and including tregchöd, Dzogchen meditative practices are parallel to and seen by some to be identical with those of essence Mahamudra.
Non-religious character
Although Dzogchen cannot be separated from the Buddhist or Bön tradition, very often teachers emphasize the non religious character of Dzogchen. However, the Buddhist or Bön traditional framework is never negated. Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche says that, as our primordial nature, Dzogchen has existed since the beginning of time and is pointed to by various masters throughout the Universe.
Teachings
Three principles
Garab Dorje epitomized the Dzogchen teaching in three principles, known as the Three Statements of Garab Dorje (Tsik Sum Né Dek):
- Direct introduction to one's own nature (Tib. ngo rang thog tu sprod pa)
- Not remaining in doubt concerning this unique state (Tib. thag gcig thog tu bcad pa)
- Continuing to remain in this state (Tib. gdeng grol thog tu bca' pa)
According to Sogyal Rinpoche, the Dzogchen teachings focus on three terms: View, Meditation, and Action.
- To see directly the absolute state of our mind is the View;
- the way of stabilizing that View and making it an unbroken experience is Meditation;
- and integrating that View into our daily life is what is meant by Action.
The instructions that point to the Dzogchen state are sometimes described as a set of "inner" or "heart" (Wylie: snying thig) teachings. Tibetan Buddhist ascetics consider that the state pointed to by these teachings is very difficult to describe, and can only be discovered through the esoteric transmission and pointing-out instruction by an authentic Vajra Master.
True nature
Unbounded wholeness
In Dzogchen Reality is seen as a limitless wholeness, a multiplicity which is yet all of one "taste", a borderless wholeness. According to Lopon Tenzin Namdak, it is unconditioned and permanent, changeless, not originated from causes and conditions, blissful, and the base or support of numerous exalted qualities. It is at once base, path, and fruit, and "unbounded wholeness," which is naturally complete. This inbounded wholeness is one's true nature, to which Dzogchen point, "the true primordial state of every individual", comparable to the Buddha nature, yet it is not any transcendent reality.
Klein and Wangyal comment on the ultimate "one taste" and dynamic stillness of the Dzogchen state:
... cause and effect, sentient beings and Buddhas, subjects and objects, path and goal are ultimately revealed to be of one taste: movement from one to the other is no movement at all, really, but a dynamic stillness.
Rigpa
According to Klein and Wangyal:
the essence and base of self-arisen wisdom is the allbase, that primordial open awareness is the base, and that recognition of this base is not separate from the primordial wisdom itself that open awareness is itself authentic and its authenticity is a function of it being aware of, or recognizing itself as, the base The reflexively self-aware primordial wisdom is itself open awareness (rigpa), inalienably one with unbounded wholeness."
This open awareness of Dzogchen, or rigpa, is said to lie at the heart of all things and indeed of all Dzogchen practice and is
primordial wisdom's recognition of itself as unbounded wholeness the incorruptible mindnature.
Namkhai Norbu compares rigpa to Kunjed Gyalpo, the "primordial Buddha", which is beyond dualism:
The transmission of knowledge comes from the state of rigpa that has never been stained and has never been hindered. This is Adibuddha, or "primordial Buddha", Kunjed Gyalpo The state of Kunjed Gyalpo is knowledge, and in knowledge there is not even the concept of "one and two", otherwise we have already entered into dualism. Also, the concept of "individual" presupposes dualistic vision. But Samantabhadra is beyond all this.
The analogy given by Dzogchen masters is that one's true nature is like a mirror which reflects with complete openness, but is not affected by the reflections; or like a crystal ball that takes on the colour of the material on which it is placed without itself being changed. The knowledge that ensues from recognizing this mirror-like clarity (which cannot be found by searching nor identified) is called rigpa.
The reflexive awareness of Enlightenment is said to be inherent within all beings, but not to be attainable by thought.
Continuum
According to Norbu, energy of an individual is essentially totally formless and free from any duality. It is maintained that there is nothing external or separate from the individual. What appears as a world of apparently external phenomena, is the energy of the individual him/her self. Everything that manifests in the individual's field of experience is a continuum (Sanskrit: santana; Tibetan: rgyud). This is the Great Perfection that is discovered in the Dzogchen practice.
Karma
karmic traces, contained in the storehouse consciousness of the individual's mindstream give rise to two kinds of forms:
- forms that the individual experiences as his or her body, voice and mind and
- forms that the individual experiences as an external environment.
Practice
Dzogchen practices aim to attain rigpa and integrate this into everyday life:
The practical training of the Dzogchen path is traditionally, and most simply, described in terms of View, Mediation and Action. To see directly the Absolute state, the Ground of our being is the View; the way of stabilising that view, and making it an unbroken experience is Meditation; and integrating the View into our entire reality, and life, is what is meant by Action.
The Menngagde or 'Instruction Class' of Dzogchen teachings are divided into two parts: Trekchö and Tögal (thod rgal). Ron Garry:
The practice is that of Cutting through Solidity (khregs chod), which is related to primordial purity (ka dag); and Direct Vision of Reality (thod rgal), which is related to spontaneous presence (Ihun grub).
Trekchö
The practice of Trekchö means "Cutting through Solidity".
Preliminary practices
Many lamas require their students to complete the conventional tantric ngondro before starting Dzogchen practice. Trekchöd starts with nine preliminary practices, to prepare the student for the main practice.
Rushan
Trekchöd has a specific preliminary practice,, rushan, which may be rendered into English as "differentiating saṃsāra and nirvāṇa". Rushan involves "going to a solitary spot and acting out whatever comes to your mind."
Semdzin
The Dzogchen preliminaries also include a series of exercises known as Semdzin (sems dzin). Semdzin literally means "to hold the mind" or "to fix mind." Semdzins are found in all three series of Dzogchen (Semde, Longde and Mennagde), but the twenty-one semdzins found in the latter are common; Longchenpa divides them into three series of seven. According to Longchenpa as reported by Reynolds,
he first group enables the practitioner to find him- or herself in a calm state, and thus the exercises are similar to the practice of Shamatha he exercises in the second group enable the practitioner to discover the relationship between body and mind. And those in the third group enable one to discover the nature of one's own condition."
Exercises in the first category include "fixating on a white Tibetan letter A on the tip of one's nose. Linking the letter with one's breathing, it goes out into space with each exhalation and returns to the tip of the nose with each inhalation. This fixation inhibits the arising of extraneous thoughts . . . however, the second exercise in the same category involves the sounding of the syllable PHAT! which instantly shatters one's thoughts and attachments. Symbolically, the two parts of the syllable indicate the two aspects of enlightenment, that is, PHA signifies Means (thabs) and TA signifies Wisdom (shes rab)."
Main practice
The main practice starts with zhiné, concentration meditation. Zhiné develops from a forced practice into a natural, effortless state. There-after the "true nature" is pointed out by a qualified teacher, and leads to insight. Thödgal represents more a fruition than a practice itself.
The main trekchö instructions in the Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo state:
This instant freshness, unspoiled by the thoughts of the three times,
You directly see in actuality by letting be in naturalness.
Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche states:
Trekchö is the thorough cut of cutting through, cutting the obscurations completely to pieces, like slashing through them with a knife. So the past thought has ceased, the future thought hasn't yet arisen, and the knife is cutting through this stream of present thought. But one doesn't keep hold of this knife either; one lets the knife go, so there is a gap. When you cut through again and again in this way, the string of thought falls to pieces. If you cut a rosary in a few places, at some point it doesn't work any longer.
Insight leads to nyamshag, "being present in the state of clarity and emptiness".
Lhundrub Tögal
See also: Ösel (yoga)Lhundrub Tögal is the compassionate or skillful means aspect of rigpa. Lhündrub Tögal means "spontaneous presence", "direct crossing", or "direct crossing of spontaneous presence". The literal meaning is "to proceed directly to the goal without having to go through intermediate steps." It is a training to enhance the realization of the view, the practice of the unity of appearance and emptiness.
Thod rgal is also called "the practice of vision", or "the practice of the Clear Light ('od-gsal)". The Clear Light is a phenomenological description of the true nature, and a positive counterweight against the negatively perceived "emptiness" of the Madhyamaka philosophy. The practice entails progressing through the four visions, using visual manifestations and various kinds of light. The tögal teachings in the Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud describe the clear light and the natural arising visions, and how they can be used in the training. Mandalas, tiglés, white points, circular rainbows, images of Buddhas, deities, and Buddha dimensions may also appear.
Sky gazing
In both the Bön and Buddhist Dzogchen traditions, sky gazing is considered to be an important part of tregchöd.
Thödgal represents more a fruition than a practice itself. There are methods prepared in the event of a psychotic break to bring the practitioner back to sanity.
In contrast to other kinds of tantric practices, there is no intentional visualization; rather, imagery appears spontaneously using secondary conditions such as darkness or light. Eventually a practitioner has experiences which are viewed as knowing the subtle energies of one's being. These have the qualities of earth, water, fire, air and space (see Classical element). Throughout the retreat, a practitioner is believed to be approaching an experience which is entirely unconditioned.
Rainbow Body
Lhun grub practice may lead to full enlightenment and the transformation of the human body into a rainbow body at the moment of death, when all the fixation and grasping has been exhausted. It is a nonmaterial body of light with the ability to exist and abide wherever and whenever as pointed by one's compassion. It is a manifestation of the Sambhogakāya.
Some exceptional practitioners such as Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra are held to have realized a higher type of rainbow body without dying. Having completed the four visions before death, the individual focuses on the lights that surround the fingers. His or her physical body self-liberates into a nonmaterial body of light (a Sambhogakāya) with the ability to exist and abide wherever and whenever as pointed by one's compassion.
See also
- Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
- Dudjom Rinpoche
- Dzogchen Rinpoche
- Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
- Ganachakra
- Lukhang
- Ngagpa
- Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche
- Sogyal Rinpoche
- Surya Das
- Trul khor
- Trulshik Rinpoche
- Lopön Tenzin Namdak
Notes
- John Pettit: "Great Perfection" variously indicates the texts (āgama, lung) and oral instructions (upadeśa, man ngag) that indicate the nature of enlightened wisdom (rdzogs chen gyi gzhung dang man ngag), the verbal conventions of those texts (rdzogs chen gyi chos skad), the yogis who meditate according to those texts and instructions (rdzogs chen gyi rnal 'byor pa), a famous monastery where the Great Perfection was practiced by monks and yogis (rdzogs chen dgon sde), and the philosophical system (siddhānta, grub mtha') or vision (darśana, lta ba) of the Great Perfection.
- Wylie: a khrid
- Wylie: rdzogs chen, here referring narrowly to the specific lineage within the Bön tradition
- Wylie: zhang zhung snyan rgyud
- Wylie: ston pa gshen rab mi bo che
- Tib. Pema Jugne or Guru Rinpoche, Wylie: padma 'byung gnas, gu ru rin po che
- Wylie:. o rgyan
- Tib. Garab Dorje, Wylie: dga' rab rdo rje
- Tib. Jampal Shenyen, Wylie: 'jam dpal bshes gnyen
- Tib. Palgyi Senge, Wylie: dpal gyi senge
- Tib. Pema Jungne or Guru Rinpoche
- Tib. Drime Shenyen, Wylie: dri med bshes gnyen
- Tib. Nampar Nangdze Lotsawa, Wylie: rnam par snang mdzad lo tsa ba
- Wylie: bka' brgyud
- Wylie: mi la ras pa
- Wylie:. rang byung rdo rje
- Wylie: ta la'i bla ma
- Wylie: dge lugs
- Tibetan theg pa, vehicle
- ' Tib. jam dpal bshes gnyen
- Tulku Urgyen explains what is meant by "gaining confidence in liberation": "The third analogy of the liberation of thoughts is described as being like a thief entering an empty house. This is called stability or perfection in training. A thief entering an empty house does not gain anything, and the house does not lose anything. All thought activity is naturally liberated without any harm or benefit whatsoever. This is the meaning of gaining confidence in liberation."
- Sanskrit: citta santana; Tibetan: sems rgyud
- Karma Chagme associates Trekchö with Semde. He further equates Trekchö with Mahāmudrā, which is more typical.
- Wylie: sngon 'gro
- Korday Rushen; Tibetan: འཁོར་འདས་རུ་ཤན, Wylie: khor 'das ru shan
- Tibetan: ལྷུན་གྲུབ་ཐོད་རྒལ།, Wylie: lhun grub thod rgal
- Wylie: 'ja' lus, pronounced Jalü
References
- Keown, Damien (2003), A Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 82. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860560-9.
- Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection by the Dalai Lama, Snow Lion, 2004. ISBN 1-55939-219-3. pg 208
- Keown, Damien. (2003). A Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 24. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860560-9.
- ^ Pettit, John Whitney (1999). Mipham's beacon of certainty: illuminating the view of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. Somerville, MA, USA: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-157-2 (alk. paper) p.4
- (Wylie: dga' rab rdo rje, Sanskrit *prahevajra
- Nirmanakaya Garab Dorje
- Joyful Vajra Garab Dorje
- The Tantra that Reveals the Intrinsic Buddha Mind, translated in :- Erik Pema Kunsang (translator) : Wellsprings of the Great Perfection. Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Hong Kong, 2006. p. 215
- "The Shugden Affair: Origins of a Controversy (Part I)" by Georges Dreyfus. Official website of the Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
- Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection by the Dalai Lama, trans. by Thupten Jinpa & Richard Barron, fore. by Sogyal Rinpoche, ed. by Patrick Gaffney. Snow Lion. 1559392193
- Reginald Ray, Secret of the Vajra World. Shambhala 2001, page 314.
- Reginald Ray, Secret of the Vajra World. Shambhala 2001, page 304.
- Norbu (1999)
- Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, The Essence of the Three Statements of Garab Dorje: Based on an Oral Advice given by Khyenrab Chökyi Özer, pp.39-57, 66-70
- Klein & Wangyal 2006, p. 68-69.
- ^ Klein & Wangyal 2006, p. 118.
- ^ Ray 2001, p. 297.
- ^ Ray 2001, p. v.
- Klein & Wangyal 2006, p. 48.
- Klein and Wangyal, 2006, p.109
- Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Adriano Clemente, The Supreme Source: The Fundamental Tantra of the Dzogchen Semde Kunjed Gyalpo, Snow Lion Publications, New York, 1999, p. 235
- Third Dzogchen Rinpoche. Great Perfection. Volume II. Snow Lion Publications 2008, page 152.
- Namdak, Tenzin. Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings. Vajra Publications 2006, page 97.
- Klein & Wangyal 2006, p. vi.
- Norbu (1999), pp. 99, 101
- Sogyal Rinpoche (1992), The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, p.151
- ^ Dudjom Rinpoche. Wisdom Nectar. Snow Lion 2005, page 296.
- ^ Karma Chagme, Gyatrul Rinpoche & Wallace 1998, p. 180. sfn error: no target: CITEREFKarma_ChagmeGyatrul_RinpocheWallace1998 (help)
- ^ Pettit 1999, p. 81.
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche 2001.
- Germano, David F. (1994). "Architecture and Absence in the Secret Tantric History of rDzogs Chen". In The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, vol. 17.2, p 262
- Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81
- Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81
- Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81
- Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81
- Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6 pg 81
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche 2001, p. 75-86.
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche 2001, p. 65.
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche 2001, p. 66, 83-86.
- Batchelor 2010. sfn error: no target: CITEREFBatchelor2010 (help)
- Newman 2004, p. 54. sfn error: no target: CITEREFNewman2004 (help)
- Ray 2001, p. 318-319.
- Schmidt, Erik. (2001). The Light of Wisdom Vol IV. Kathmandu: Rangjung Yeshe Publications. p.77
- Schmidt 2002, p. 38. sfn error: no target: CITEREFSchmidt2002 (help)
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche 2001, p. 87.
- Dalai Lama 2004, p. 32.
- Rinpoche Dzogchen Ponlop 2003. sfn error: no target: CITEREFRinpoche_Dzogchen_Ponlop2003 (help)
- Dalai Lama 2004.
- ^ Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche 1994, p. 44.
- Schmidt 2002. sfn error: no target: CITEREFSchmidt2002 (help)
- Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche 1994, p. 224.
- Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche 1994, p. 170.
- ^ Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche 2004, p. 77.
- Garfield & Edelglass 2011, p. 272. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGarfieldEdelglass2011 (help)
- Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche 1994, p. 38.
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche 2000, p. 166.
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche 2000, p. 167.
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (2002), p. 130
- Reginald Ray, Secret of the Vajra World. Shambhala 2001, pages 318-319.
- Reginald Ray, Secret of the Vajra World. Shambhala 2001, pages 319-322.
- >Dalai Lama 2004, p. 204. sfn error: no target: CITEREF>Dalai_Lama2004 (help)
- Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche 1994, p. 233.
- ^ Matthieu, Richard. 2001. The Life of Shakbar. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications. pg. 153
- Reginald Ray, Secret of the Vajra World. Shambhala 2001, page 323.
- Matthieu, Richard. 2001. The Life of Shakbar. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications. pg. 153
Sources
Published sources
- Anyen Rinpoche (2012), Journey to Certainty, Wisdom Publications
- Capriles, Elías. Buddhism and Dzogchen. Part 1 - Buddhism: a Dzogchen Outlook. Published on the web at
- Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche (1994), Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, Rangjung Yeshe Publications
- Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche (2004), The Bardo Guidebook, Rangjung Yeshe Publications
- Dalai Lama (2004), Dzogchen. Heart Essence of the Great Perfection, Snow Lion Publications, ISBN 978-1-55939-219-8
- Dudjom Rinpoche (1991). The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Vol. 1. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-087-8
- Jigmed Lingpa (2008). Yeshe Lama. Snow Lion. ISBN 9781559392945
- Karmey, Samten G. (1975). A General Introduction to the History and Doctrines of Bon. Memoirs of the Research Department of the Toyo Bunko, No. 33, pp. 171–218. Tokyo. (Especially Chapter 9 on rDzogs-chen on pp. 213–215).
- Klein, Anne Carolyn; Wangyal, Geshe Tenzin Rinpoche (2006), Unbounded Wholeness, Oxford University Press
- Norbu, Chögyal Namkhai (1999). The Crystal and The Way of Light: Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-135-9
- Norbu, Chögyal Namkhai (1992). Dream Yoga and the Practice Of Natural Light editor Michael Katz. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-007-7
- Norbu, Chögyal Namkhai (2000). Dzogchen: The Self-perfected State. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-057-3
- Norbu, Chögyal Namkhai. The Essence of the Three Statements of Garab Dorje: Based on an Oral Advice given by Khyenrab Chökyi Özer. Shang Shung Edizioni.
- Norbu, Chögyal Namkhai. The Mirror: Advice on Presence and Awareness (dran pa dang shes bzhin gyi gdams pa me long ma). Religions 2013;4(3):412-422. http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/4/3/412
- Padmasambhava (1998). Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0861711314
- Pettit, John Whitney (1999), Mipham's beacon of certainty: illuminating the view of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, Wisdom Publications, ISBN 0-86171-157-2
- Reynolds, John Myrdhin (1996). The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-050-6
- Reynolds, John Myrdhin (2005). The Oral Tradition from Zhang-Zhung: An Introduction to the Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings of the Oral Tradition from Zhang-Zhung Known as the Zhang-zhung snyan-rgyud. Vajra Publications. ISBN 99946-644-4-1
- Ray, Reginald (2001), Secret of the Vajra World, Shambhala
- Sogyal Rinpoche (2009), The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Harper Collins, Kindle Edition
- Surya Das (2007). Natural Radiance: Awakening to Your Great Perfection. Sounds True. ISBN 1-59179-612-1
- Tarthang Tulku (1977). Time, Space, and Knowledge: A New Vision of Reality. Berkeley, CA: Dharma Publishing. ISBN 0-913546-08-9
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (2000), Wonders of the Natural Mind: The Essence of Dzogchen in the Native Bon Tradition of Tibet, Snow Lion Publications
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (2001), Het wonder van onze oorspronkelijke geest. Dzokchen in de bontraditie van Tibet (Dutch translation of "Wonders of the Natural Mind"), Elmar BV
- Wangyal, Tenzin (Rinpoche) (2002). Healing with Form, Energy, and Light. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-176-6
- Wangyal, Tenzin (Rinpoche) and Klein, Anne C.(2006). Unbounded Wholeness: Dzogchen, Bon and the Logic of the Nonconceptual. Oxford University. ISBN 0-19-517850-5
Web-sources
- ^ Alezander Berzin, Brief History of Dzogchen
- rigpawiki, Tögal
- ^ Extract from Oral Tradition from Zhang Zhung. An Introduction to the Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings of the Oral Tradition from Zhang Zhung
External links
- Material on the history and Practice of Dzogchen (by Alexander Berzin)
- Dzogchen - at Rangjung Yeshi Wiki
- Aro encyclopedia: Dzogchen
- Three, Two, Five by Herbert Guenther, focusing on Padmasambhava's writings.
- Practices Supporting Dzogchen - The Great Perfection Of Tibetan Buddhism By Neal J. Pollock, M.A., N.D.
- Dzogchen View of Tantric Ngondro
- Dzogchen - at Rigpa Wiki
- Template:Dmoz