|
Dzogchen
According to some schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, Dzogchen is the
natural, primordial state or natural condition of every sentient being,
including every human being.
Our ultimate nature is said to be pure, all-encompassing, primordial
awareness. This 'intrinsic awareness' has no form of its own and yet is
capable of perceiving, experiencing, reflecting, or expressing all form. It
does so without being affected by those forms in any ultimate, permanent
way. 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 a crystal ball which takes on the colour of the material on
which it is placed without itself being changed. Other evocative phrases
used by masters describe it as an 'effulgence', an 'all-pervading fullness'
or as 'space that is aware'. When an individual is able to maintain the
rdzogs chen state continually, he or she no longer experiences dukkha, i.e.,
feelings of discontent, tension and anxiety in everyday life. (Compare with
nirvana). The polyvalent symbol and teaching tool of Dzogchen is the Gankyil.
Definitions
The word Dzogchen has been translated variously as Great Perfection, Great
Completeness, Total Completeness, Supercompleteness. These terms also convey
the idea that our nature as intrinsic awareness has many qualities that make
it 'perfect'. These include indestructibility, incorruptible purity,
non-discriminating openness, flawless clarity, profound simplicity,
all-pervading presence and equality within all beings (i.e., the quality,
quantity and functionality of this awareness is exactly the same in every
being in the universe). It is said that the impressive personal qualities of
the fully-enlightened Buddha derived from the fact that he was fully
'aligned' with this already-existing primordial nature. Descriptions of the
Buddha as omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent refer to his ultimate
nature as this awareness. The term Dzogchen is a Tibetan rendering of the
Sanskrit term maha sandhi and its variants, and is also used to render the
Sanskrit term ati yoga.
The homonymous term Dzogchen designates a meditation practice and 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.
The Dzogchen teachings are considered by some to be the most sublime of the
nine yana, (Tibetan theg pa, vehicle) of the Nyingma (Wylie: rnying ma)
school of Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan Bön (Wylie: bon) tradition. The
instructions that point to the Dzogchen state are sometimes described as a
set of "inner" or "heart" (Wylie: snying thig) teachings. Practicing Tibetan
Buddhists consider that the state pointed to by these teachings is very
difficult to describe, and can only be discovered through its transmission
by an authentic Vajra Master. Some teachers also regard Dzogchen as a
teaching completely in its own right, independent of Buddhism or Bön. They
say that, as our primordial nature, Dzogchen has existed since the beginning
of time and is pointed to by various masters throughout the universe.[1]
Most teachers perform the transmission with student or, usually, students
physically present. It is also possible to receive transmission from a
teacher remotely (see Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche) as Dzogchen is
unbounded by space and time.
Background
According to one tradition, the first master of the Buddhist Dzogchen
lineage in our world was Garab Dorje (Wylie: dga' rab rdo rje, Sanskrit *prahevajra)
from Uddiyana (Wylie:. o rgyan).
Indian originators
From Garab Dorje, Dzogchen is said to have been passed down as listed
following. 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.
1. Prahevajra (Tib. Garab Dorje, Wylie: dga' rab rdo rje) 184 BCE to 57 CE
2. Mañjuśrīmitra (Tib. Jampal Shenyen) dates unclear
3. Sri Singha (Tib. Palgyi Senge) dates unclear
4. Padmasambhava (Tib. Pema Jungne or Guru Rinpoche) fl. mid-8th CE
5. Vimalamitra (Tib. Drime Shenyen) fl. late 8th CE
6. Vairotsana (Tib. Nampar Nangdze Lotsawa, Wylie: rnam par snang mdzad lo
tsa ba ) fl. late 8th CE
In 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 Kagyu (Wylie: bka' brgyud) lineage, beginning
with Milarepa (Wylie: mi la ras pa) and most notably by the Third Karmapa,
Rangjung Dorje (Wylie:. rang byung rdo rje). The Fifth, Thirteenth, and
Fourteenth (present) Dalai Lamas (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 Geluk
(Wylie: dge lugs) tradition.
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, Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche (Wylie: ston pa
gshen rab mi bo che).
Concepts
The essence of the Dzogchen teaching is the direct transmission of knowledge
from master to disciple. Garab Dorje epitomized the Dzogchen teaching in
three principles, known as the Three Statements of Garab Dorje:
1. Direct introduction to one's own nature (Tib. ngo rang thog tu sprod pa)
2. Not remaining in doubt concerning this unique state (Tib. thag gcig thog
tu bcad pa)
3. Continuing to remain in this state (Tib. gdeng grol thog tu bca' pa)
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:
1. Semde (Wylie: sems sde), the series of Mind, that focuses on the
introduction to one's own primordial state;
2. Longde (Wylie: klong sde), the series of Space, that focuses on
developing the capacity to gain familiarity with the state and remove
doubts; and
3. Men-ngak (Wylie: man ngag sde, Sanskrit upadesha), the series of secret
Oral Instructions, focusing on the practices in which one engages after
gaining confidence in knowledge of the state.
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.
Dzogchen is one of several recognized approaches to Nondualism.
Three aspects of energy
Sentient beings have their energy manifested in 3 aspects:
1. dang (Wylie: gdangs)
2. rolpa (Wylie: rol pa)
3. tsal (Wylie: rtsal)
Energy of an individual on the dang level is essentially infinite and
formless.
In the form of rolpa energy forms appear as though seen with 'the eye of the
mind'. Many practices of thödgal and yangthig work on the basis of
functioning of the rolpa aspect of individual's energy. It is also the
original source of the sambhogakaya deities visualized in Buddhist tantric
transformational practices and of manifestations of one hundred peaceful and
wrathful deities in bardo.
Tsal is the manifestation of the energy of the individual him or herself, as
apparently an 'external' world.[2] The mind of a sentient being is also tsal
energy when it is 'contaminated' by the karmic winds.
Certain practices stop the karmic winds of the body and therefore allow the
energy of tsal to be experienced by itself.
External world versus continuum
According to Dzogchen teachings, energy of an individual is essentially
totally formless and free from any duality. However, karmic traces,
contained in 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.
What appears as a world of apparently external phenomena, is the energy of
the individual him or herself. There is nothing external or separate from
the individual. Everything that manifests in the individual's field of
experience is a continuum. This is the Great Perfection that is discovered
in the Dzogchen practice.[3]
Causality and interdependent origination
In Dzogchen teachings the interdependent origination and any kind of
causality is considered illusory: '(One says), "all these (configurations of
events and meanings) come about and disappear according to dependent
origination." But, like a burnt seed, since a nonexistent (result) does not
come about from a nonexistent (cause), cause and effect do not exist.
Being obsessed with entities, one's experiencing itself [Wylie: sems,
Sanskrit: citta], which discriminates each cause and effect, appears as if
it were cause and condition.' (from byang chub sems bsgom pa by
Mañjusrîmitra. Primordial experience. An Introduction to rDzogs-chen
Meditation, pp. 60, 61)
This corresponds to the assertion in the Heart sutra (Sanskrit:
Prajñāpāramitā Hridaya Sūtra), that there is no karma, no law of cause and
effect. The assertion was made by bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in a teaching
for the great arhat Shariputra, given before multitude of beings, on request
of Buddha Shakyamuni. After the teaching Buddha Shakyamuni greatly praised
the wisdom of Avalokiteshvara's words and the beings present rejoiced.[4]
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
dharmapala most associated with Dzogchen is Ekajati. 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. The pictures show actual beings.[5]
Dzogchen, well-being and health
The quality of our lives is best when the internal elements are balanced.[6]
The body is healthy when the elements are balanced.[1][2] There is no better
way to balance the elements than abide in the natural state. [7]
The practice of Dzogchen
In Dzogchen, self-liberation is achieved by discovering or recognizing one's
own primordial mindstream and remaining in that natural state of primordial
awareness in which all phenomena are experienced without creating karma
through reaction, attachment, or conceptual labelling.
Sogyal Rinpoche, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and other teachers provide
different practical sets of instructions for the practice of Dzogchen. The
central practice of Dzogchen teaching is Dzogchen contemplation (Tib. ting
nge 'dzin).
Silent and prolonged meditation (Tib. sgom pa) is also used to allow the
obscurations of the mind to dissipate like clouds dissolving to reveal the
empty, luminous sky. Through meditation, it is possible to remove the
conditioning of our bodymind and to glimpse our true nature.
According to some teachers (in particular, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu), Dzogchen
is a practice rather than a doctrine or religion. It does not require the
practitioner to be anywhere special; in fact, to be normally active while in
a state of primordial or natural awareness is the ultimate practice of
Dzogchen.
The goal of Dzogchen practice is to remain in the clear, undeluded state of
the nature of the bodymind, unconditioned by thoughts -- which is not the
same thing as not having any thoughts, which is in any case impossible. At
the beginning, a Dzogchen teacher introduces one directly (Tib. ngo sprod,
introduce, point out) to the real nature of one's bodymind, even if only for
a few seconds; being a Dzogchen practitioner thus implies that one must have
a qualified Dzogchen teacher, one who has mastered the nature of the
mindstream. Historically, Dzogchen teachers have been very selective in
choosing initiates, but current lineage holders in the Nyingma and Bön
traditions have made Dzogchen teachings available to a wider (Western)
audience.
Sky gazing
In both the Bön and Buddhist Dzogchen traditions, sky gazing is considered
to be an important practice.[8] Detailed instructions on the practice are
provided by the Nyingma teacher Tarthang Tulku.[9]
Tregchöd and thödgal
Once the state of non-dual contemplation has been arrived at, one has to
continue in it. This continuation has two levels of practice: tregchöd and
thödgal. These are main practices presented in the Menngagde series (Oral
Instruction Series) of the dzogchen teachings.[10]
Body of Light: objective result of Dzogchen practice
When an advanced practitioner successfully completes practices of Longde or
Menngagde, he or she realizes the Body of Light also know as rainbow body
(Wylie 'ja' lus, pronounced Jalü.) When such an individual dies, from the
point of view of an external observer, the following happens: the corpse
does not start to decompose, but starts to shink till it disappears. Usually
fingernails, toenails and hair are left behind[11] (see e.g. Togden Urgyen
Tendzin, Ayu Khandro, Changchub Dorje.)
Some exceptional practitioners such as Guru Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra
are said to have realized the Great Transferrence (Wylie 'pho ba chen po,
pronounced Phova Chenpo). The individual does not die at all but his or her
physical body gradually disappears for an external observer.[12]
Reality vs dreams
According to contemporary teacher Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, in
Dzogchen the perceived reality is considered to be unreal. All appearances
perceived during the whole life of an individual through all senses,
including sounds, smells, tastes and tactile sensations in their totality
are like a big dream. It is claimed that on careful examination the dream of
life and regular nightly dreams are not very different, and that in their
essential nature there is no difference between them.
The non-essential difference between our dreaming state and our ordinary
waking experience is that the latter is more concrete and linked with our
attachment; the dreaming is slightly detached.
Also according to this teaching, there is a correspondence between the
states of sleep and dream and our experiences when we die. After experiences
of intermediate state of bardo an individual comes out of it, a new karmic
illusion is created and another existence begins. This is how transmigration
happens.
One aim of dream practice is to realize during a dream that one is dreaming.
One can then dream with lucidity and do all sorts of things, such as go to
different places, talk to people, fly and so forth. It is also possible to
do different yogic practices while dreaming (usually such yogic practices
one does in waking state). In this way the yogi can have a very strong
experience and with this comes understanding of the dream-like nature of
daily life. This is very relevant to diminishing attachments, because they
are based on strong beliefs that life's perceptions and objects are real
and, as a consequence, important. If one really understands what Buddha
Shakyamuni meant when he said that everything is unreal or of the nature of
shunyata, then one can diminish attachments and tensions.
The teacher gives advice, that the realization that the life is only a big
dream can help us finally liberate ourselves from the chains of emotions,
attachments, and ego and then we have the possibility of ultimately becoming
enlightened.[13]
Notes
1. ^ Norbu (1999)
2. ^ Norbu (1999), pp. 99, 100, 101
3. ^ Norbu (1999), pp. 99, 101
4. ^ Norbu (1999), p. 42
5. ^ Norbu (1999), p. 129
6. ^ Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (2002), p. 21
7. ^ Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (2002), p. 121
8. ^ Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (2002), p. 130
9. ^ Tarthang Tulku (1977)
10. ^ Norbu (1999), p. 129
11. ^ Norbu (1999), pp. 158-161
12. ^ Norbu (1999), p. 162
13. ^ Norbu (1992), pp. 42, 46, 48, 96, 105
References
* Capriles, Elías. Buddhism and Dzogchen. Part 1 - Buddhism: a Dzogchen
Outlook. Published on the web at [3]
* Dudjom Rinpoche (1991). The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Vol. 1.
Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-087-8
* 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. 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
* 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
* Sogyal Rinpoche (1992). The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Random
House. ISBN 0-06-250793-1
* Tarthang Tulku (1977). Time, Space, and Knowledge: A New Vision of
Reality. Berkeley, CA: Dharma Publishing. ISBN 0-913546-08-9
* Wangyal, Tenzin (Rinpoche) (2002). Healing with Form, Energy, and Light.
Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-176-6
read the
copyright
|