The Dzogchen Primer

by Marcia Schmidt

  THREE KAYAS (sku gsum). Dharmakaya is the first of the three kayas, which is devoid of constructs, like space; the “body” of enlightened qualities. This should be understood in three different senses, according to ground, path, and fruition. Sambhogakaya means the “body of perfect enjoyment.” In the context of the “five kayas of fruition,” sambhogakaya is the semimanifest form of the buddhas endowed with the five perfections of perfect teacher, retinue, place, teaching, and time, perceptible only to bodhisattvas on the ten levels. Nirmanakaya means “emanation body” or “form of magical apparition” and is the third of the three kayas. This is the aspect of enlightenment that can be perceived by ordinary beings.

  THREE SPHERES. See Nonconceptualization of the three spheres.

  THREE VAJRAS. Our essence, nature, and capacity are the dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya. They are also the three vajras—the vajra Body, Speech, and Mind of all the buddhas—which we are supposed to achieve. This real and authentic state is in itself empty, which is dharmakaya. Its cognizant quality is sambhogakaya. Its unconfined unity is nirmanakaya. This indivisible identity of the three kayas is called the “essence body,” svabhavikakaya. When we have cut through karma and obscurations and habitual patterns, then the nature of the three vajras is primordially and spontaneously present already within us. Unless we had these, how could we produce the three vajras? The three vajras are present within the ground as the vajra body, vajra speech, and vajra mind, and these are primordially present in all sentient beings as well.

  TILOPA (988–1069). Indian mahasiddha, the guru of Naropa and father of the Kagyü lineage.

  TIRTHIKAS (mu stegs pa). Non-Buddhist teachers of philosophy adhering to the extreme views of eternalism or nihilism.

  TÖGAL (thod rgal). “Direct crossing.” Dzogchen has two main sections: Trekchö and Tögal. The former emphasizes primordial purity (ka dag) and the latter spontaneous presence (lhun grub).

  TORMA (gtor ma). An implement used in tantric ceremonies. Can also refer to a food offering to protectors of the Dharma or unfortunate spirits.

  TREASURE. Terma. The transmission through concealed treasures hidden, mainly by Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal, to be discovered at the proper time by a tertön, a treasure revealer, for the benefit of future disciples. It is one of the two chief traditions of the Nyingma school, the other being Kama. It is said that this tradition will continue even long after the Vinaya of the Buddha has disappeared.

  TREKCHÖ (khregs chod). “Cutting through” the stream of delusion, the thoughts of the three times, by revealing naked awareness devoid of dualistic fixation. To recognize this view through the oral instructions of one’s master and to sustain it uninterruptedly throughout all aspects of life is the very essence of Dzogchen practice.

  TULKU (sprul sku). Nirmanakaya. Can refer to an incarnated bodhisattva who works for the welfare of sentient beings, or to the nirmanakaya manifested by a buddha.

  TUMMO (gtum mo; Skt. chandali). A practice to develop inner heat and bliss to consume obscurations and realize emptiness. One of the Six Doctrines of Naropa.

  TWELVE SENSE-BASES. The five senses and the mental faculty, plus the five sense objects and the mental objects.

  UNIVERSAL MONARCH (’khor los sgyur ba’i rgyal po; Skt. chakravartin). One who rules over the four continents of human beings. He bears the thirty-two marks of a great being and is assisted in his rule by the seven precious possessions.

  UPASAKA (dge bsnyen). A Buddhist layman, bound by the five vows (to avoid killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxicating liquor). The female lay person is called upasika.

  UPAYA. See Prajña and upaya.

  VAJRADHARA. “Vajra-holder.” The dharmakaya buddha of the Sarma schools. Can also refer to one’s personal teacher of Vajrayana or to the allembracing buddha nature.

  VAJRAYANA. “Vajra vehicle.” The practices of taking the result as the path. Also called Secret Mantra.

  VIMALAMITRA. A master in the Dzogchen lineage and the crown ornament of five hundred panditas, who had attained the indestructible form of the rainbow body. He received the transmission of Dzogchen from Shri Singha and Jñanasutra. Vimalamitra is regarded as one of the three main forefathers for establishing the Dzogchen teachings, especially the Instruction Section, in Tibet, in the ninth century.

  VINAYA (’dul ba). “Discipline.” One of the three parts of the Tripitaka. The Buddha’s teachings concerning ethics, the discipline and moral conduct that is the foundation for all Dharma practice for both lay and ordained people.

  VIPASHYANA (lhag mthong). “Clear seeing” or “wider seeing.” Usually refers to insight into emptiness. One of the two main aspects of meditation practice, the other being shamatha. Vipashyana at the shravaka level means insight into impermanence, suffering, and egolessness. At the Mahayana level it means the insight into the emptiness of all phenomena, the perceiver as well as the perceived. At the inner Vajrayana level this insight is equal to the thought-free wakefulness that is the direct remedy against basic ignorance, the root cause of samsara.

  WHEEL OF DHARMA (chos kyi ’khor lo). The cycle of teachings given by the Buddha; three such cycles, known as the Three Turnings of the Wheel of the Dharma, were taught by Shakyamuni Buddha during his lifetime. To turn the Wheel of the Dharma is poetic for giving teachings.

  YIDAM PRACTICE. In Vajrayana, the main practice that traditionally follows the preliminaries. It includes the two stages of development and completion and is a perfect stepping-stone for approaching the more subtle practices of Mahamudra and Dzogchen.

  YOGACHARA (rnal ’byor spyod pa). The Mahayana school of philosophy established by Asanga and linked to the Mind Only school and the Sutras of the Third Turning.

  YOGIC EXERCISES. Exercises utilized in, for instance, the Six Doctrines of Naropa.

  RECOMMENDED READING

  Chang, Garma C.C. The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1999.

  Changchub, Gyalwa, and Namkhai Nyingpo. Lady of the Lotus-Born: The Life and Enlightenment of Yeshe Tsogyal. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1999.

  Chinese Buddhist Association of the United States. A Treasury of Mahayana Sutras. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1983.

  Chödrön, Pema. Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1994.

  Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. Indisputable Truth. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1996.

  ______. The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1986.

  Gampopa. The Jewel Ornament of Liberation. Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion Publications, 1998.

  Khunu Rinpoche. Vast As the Heavens, Deep As the Sea: Verses in Praise of Bodhicitta. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1999.

  Khyentse, Dilgo. Enlightened Courage: An Explanation of Atisha’s Seven Point Mind Training. Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion Publications, 1993.

  ______. The Excellent Path to Enlightenment. Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion Publications, 1996.

  ______. The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1994.

  Kongtrül, Jamgön. The Torch of Certainty. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1994.

  The Life of Marpa the Translator. Translated by the Nalanda Translation Committee. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1995.

  The Life of Milarepa. Translated by Lobsang Lhalungpa. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1977.

  Lingpa, Samten, Lama Chonam, and Sangye Khandro. The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava: The Indian Consort of Padmasambhava. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1998.

  Norbu, Thinley. Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1999.

  ______. The Small Golden Key: To the Treasure of the Various Essential Necessities of General and Extraordinary Buddhist Dharma. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1999.

  ______. White Sail: Crossing the Waves of Ocean Mind to the S
erene Continent of the Triple Gems. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2001.

  Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche. The Life and Teachings of Chokgyur Lingpa. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1990.

  Padmasambhava. Advice from the Lotus-Born. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1996.

  ______. Dakini Teachings. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1999.

  Padmasambhava and Jamgön Kongtrül. The Light of Wisdom, Volumes I and II. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1999 and 2000.

  Patrül Rinpoche. The Words of My Perfect Teacher. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1998.

  Patrül Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1993.

  The Rain of Wisdom. Translated by the Nalanda Translation Committee. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1989.

  Rangdröl, Shabkar Tsogdruk. The Life of Shabkar. Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion Publications, 2001.

  Shantideva. The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara). Translated by the Padmakara Translation Group. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1997.

  Sogyal Rinpoche. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1992.

  Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. New York: Weatherhill, 1970.

  Thich Nhat Hanh. Old Path, White Clouds. Berkeley: Parallax Press, 1991.

  Thondup, Tulku. Enlightened Living. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1997.

  ______. Masters of Meditation and Miracles. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1999.

  Thrangu Rinpoche. Buddha Nature. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1988.

  ______. Songs of Naropa. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1997.

  Trungpa, Chögyam. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1973.

  ______. Journey Without Goal. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1981.

  ______. The Myth of Freedom: And the Way of Meditation. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1976.

  Tsogyal, Yeshe. The Lotus-Born: The Life Story of Padmasambhava. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1993.

  Tsoknyi Rinpoche. Carefree Dignity. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1998.

  Tulku, Chagdud. Lord of the Dance. Junction City, Calif.: Padma Publishing, 1992.

  Tulku, Tarthang. Lalitavistara. Berkeley: Dharma Publishing, 1983.

  Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. As It Is, Volumes I and II. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1999 and 2000.

  ______. Rainbow Painting. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1995.

  ______. Repeating the Words of the Buddha. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1996.

  CONTRIBUTORS

  BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, literally, “the Sage of the Shakyas,” is our historical buddha. He was born in Lumbini near the foothills of the Himalayas in what is now Nepal, attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, turned the Wheel of Dharma in Sarnath, and passed away in Kushinagar. For a detailed account of his life, please read Lalitavistara (Dharma Publishing).

  CHÖGYAM TRUNGPA RINPOCHE was a Buddhist meditation master, scholar, artist, and visionary. He was the founder of Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and of Shambhala Training and was the former abbot of the Surmang monasteries in Eastern Tibet. His seventeen years of teaching in the United States and Canada left an indelible mark of authenticity on the practical application of American Buddhism. For his biography, please read Born in Tibet (Shambhala Publications). For more information, go to www.shambhala.org

  CHÖKYI NYIMA RINPOCHE is the oldest son and a spiritual heir of the widely renowned late Dzogchen master Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. He is the author of Indisputable Truth and The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen (both Rangjung Yeshe Publications). His Holiness the sixteenth Karmapa recognized Chökyi Nyima as a reincarnate bodhisattva and advised him to turn his efforts toward instructing Western practitioners, transmitting Tibetan Buddhism to the rest of the world. He is the abbot of one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in Nepal, located at the sacred Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. For more information, go to www.shedrub.org

  DRUBWANG TSOKNYI RINPOCHE was recognized by His Holiness the sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa as a reincarnation of Drubwang Tsoknyi, a renowned master of the Drukpa Kagyü and Nyingma traditions. Later he was brought up by the great master Khamtrül Rinpoche. Among his other teachers are Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, his late father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Adeu Rinpoche of Nangchen, and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche. Tsoknyi Rinpoche is the head of the Drukpa Heritage Project to preserve the literature of the Drukpa Kagyü lineage. He is also the abbot of Ngedön Ösel Ling in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and author of Carefree Dignity (Rangjung Yeshe Publications). For more information, go to www.pundarika.org

  DZONGSAR KHYENTSE RINPOCHE was born in Bhutan in 1961 and was recognized as the main incarnation of the Dzongsar Khyentse lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He has studied with some of the greatest contemporary masters, particularly H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. From a young age he has been active in the preservation of the Buddhist teachings, establishing centers of learning, supporting practitioners, publishing books, and teaching all over the world. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche supervises his traditional seat of Dzongsar Monastery and its retreat centers in eastern Tibet as well as his new colleges in India and Bhutan. He has also established centers in Australia, North America, and the Far East. These are gathered under Siddhartha’s Intent (www.siddharthasintent.org).

  KHENCHEN THRANGU RINPOCHE ranks as one of the foremost masters of the Kagyü lineage. He lives in Kathmandu, Nepal, and teaches in numerous countries around the world. He is the author of Songs of Naropa and King of Samadhi (both Rangjung Yeshe Publications).

  MILAREPA (1040–1123) was one of the most famous yogis and poets in Tibetan religious history. Much of the teachings of the Karma Kagyü schools passed through him. For more details, read The Life of Milarepa and The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa (both Shambhala Publications).

  PADMASAMBHAVA was the miraculous great master who brought Vajrayana to Tibet in the eighth century. He is also referred to as Guru Rinpoche, the precious teacher. For his biography, please read The Lotus-Born (Shambhala Publications).

  PATRÜL RINPOCHE was a great nonsectarian Tibetan master of the nineteenth century and one of the foremost scholars of his time. He was known not only for his scholarship and learning but also for his example of renunciation and compassion. His most famous works include The Words of My Perfect Teacher (Shambhala Publications) and his commentary on Three Words Striking the Vital Point (Tsigsum Nedeg), the epitome of the Dzogchen teachings.

  SHANTIDEVA was a seventh-century master at Nalanda monastic university. He is regarded as one of the eighty-four siddhas and was the author of the Bodhicharyavatara, published in English as The Way of the Bodhisattva (Shambhala Publications).

  THINLEY NORBU RINPOCHE is an extraordinary teacher of the Nyingma lineage. His father, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, was a great treasure revealer and scholar. He is the author of White Sail and Magic Dance (both Shambhala Publications).

  TULKU THONDUP RINPOCHE is an exceptional teacher and translator of the Nyingma lineage. He is the author of Masters of Meditation and Miracles, Enlightened Journey, The Healing Power of Mind, Boundless Healing (all Shambhala Publications), Enlightened Living (Rangjung Yeshe Publications), The Practice of Dzogchen (Snow Lion Publications), and Hidden Teachings of Tibet (Wisdom Publications), to mention a few.

  TULKU URGYEN RINPOCHE was born in eastern Tibet on the tenth day of the fourth Tibetan month in 1920 and passed away in Nepal on February 13, 1996. His Holiness Khakyab Dorje, the fifteenth Gyalwang Karmapa, recognized him as an incarnate. He studied and practiced the teachings of both the Kagyü and Nyingma orders of Tibetan Buddhism.

 
; In the Nyingma tradition, Tulku Urgyen held the complete teachings of the last century’s three great masters: Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, and Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Thaye. He had an especially close transmission for the Chokling Tersar, a compilation of all the empowerments, textual authorizations, and oral instructions of Padmasambhava’s teachings, which were rediscovered by Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa, his great-grandfather.

  Tulku Urgyen established several monasteries and retreat centers in Nepal. The most important ones in the Kathmandu region are at Boudhanath, the site of the Great Stupa; at the Asura Cave, where Padmasambhava manifested the Mahamudra Vidyadhara level; and at the Swayambhunath stupa. He primarily lived at the Nagi Gompa Hermitage above the Kathmandu Valley. He is the father of tulku sons Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche, Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.

  Rinpoche instructed a growing number of Dharma students in essential meditation practice. He was famed for his profound meditative realization and for the concise, lucid, and humorous style with which he imparted the essence of the Buddhist teachings. His method of teaching was “instruction through one’s own experience.” Using few words, this way of teaching pointed out the nature of mind, revealing a natural simplicity of wakefulness that enabled the student to actually touch the heart of awakened mind.

  CREDITS

  “Buddha Nature” is from Buddha Nature by Thrangu Rinpoche, 1988 by Thrangu Rinpoche. Reprinted by arrangement with Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Boudhanath, www.rangjung.com

  “The Basis: Buddha Nature” is from As It Is, Volume I by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, 1999 by Rangjung Yeshe Publications. Reprinted by arrangement with Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Boudhanath, www.rangjung.com

  “The Ground” is from Carefree Dignity by Tsoknyi Rinpoche, 1998 by Rangjung Yeshe Publications and Tsoknyi Rinpoche. Reprinted by arrangement with Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Boudhanath, www.rangjung.com