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This article refers to the primordial state as considered in Tibetan Buddhism and Bon. For the monastery of the same name, please see Dzogchen (monastery)

According to some schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state or natural condition of every sentient being, including every human being. Tibetan Buddhism — formerly also called Lamaism, after their religious gurus known as lamas — is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and the Himalayan region. ... Bon can refer to: Abbreviation for Business Object Notation The Bon programming language The original spiritual tradition of Tibet and Tibetan people, called Bön A village in Chad The late singer of AC/DC, Bon Scott This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might... Sentience is the capacity for basic consciousness -- the ability to feel or perceive, not necessarily including the faculty of self-awareness. ... A being, in the most general sense, is anything that is alive. ... Trinomial name Homo sapiens sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Humans, or human beings, are biologically classified as bipedal primates belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin for wise man or thinking man) under the family Hominidae (the great apes). ...

Our ultimate nature is said to be pure, self-existing, all-encompassing 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 openess 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 everday life. (Compare with Nirvana). Human nature is the fundamental nature and substance of humans, as well as the range of human behavior that is believed to be invariant over long periods of time and across very different cultural contexts. ... In biological psychology, awareness describes an animals perception and cognitive reaction to a condition or event. ... Intrinsic is used to describe a characteristic or property of some thing or action which is specific to that thing or action, and which is wholly independent of any other object, action or consequence. ... PSYCHOLOGY In psychology and the cognitive sciences, perception is the process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, and organizing sensory information. ... This article is about the meanings of the word form connected with shape or structure. ... A mirror is a surface with good specular reflection that is smooth enough to form an image. ... Crystal Ball is a compilation album by (formerly known as Prince), released in 1998. ... Dukkha (Pāli; Sanskrit: duḥkha) is a central concept in Buddhism, the word roughly corresponding to a number of terms in English including sorrow, suffering, affliction, pain, anxiety, dissatisfaction, discomfort, anguish, stress, misery, and aversion. ... Tension may mean: In physics, tension is a force related to the stretching of a string or a similar object. ... Anxiety refers to a complex combination of negative emotions that includes fear, apprehension and worry, and is often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations, nausea, chest pain and/or shortness of breath. ... In the Indian religions Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, nirvāna (from the Sanskrit निर्वाण, Pali: Nibbāna -- Chinese: 涅槃; Pinyin: niè pán), literally extinction and/or extinguishing, is the culmination of the yogis pursuit of liberation. ...

• "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 openess, 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. That the true meaning of descriptions of the Buddha as omniscient 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 pinnacle of the nine yana, (Tibetan theg pa, vehicle) of the Nyingma (Tib. rnying ma) school of Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan Bön (Tib. bon) tradition. The instructions that point to the Dzogchen state are sometimes described as a set of "inner" or "heart" (Tib. 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 Bon. 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]. A stone image of the Buddha. ... Bön has typically been described as the shamanistic religion in Tibet before the arrival of Buddhism in the 7th century. ... A mandala used in Vajrayana Buddhist practices. ...

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). Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (born in Dege, Eastern Tibet, in 1938) is a teacher and master of Dzogchen, one of the teachings of Buddha. ... Rinpoche (Pronunciation: rin-po-shay) is a Tibetan Buddhist religio-/theological title. ...

Background

The first master of the Dzogchen lineage in our world was Garab Dorje (Tib. dga' rab rdo rje, Sanskrit *prahevajra) from Uddiyana (Tib. o rgyan). Padmasambhava (Tib. padma 'byung gnas, gu ru rin po che) is the source of Dzogchen teachings in Tibet (Tib. bod), which are the heart of the Nyingma (Tib. rnying ma) tradition, with which they are primarily associated. Dzogchen has also been practiced in the Kagyu (Tib. bka' brgyud) lineage, beginning with Milarepa (Tib. mi la ras pa) and most notably by the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje (Tib. rang byung rdo rje). The Fifth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth (present) Dalai Lamas (Tib. 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 (Tib. dge lugs) tradition. Garab Dorje (Sanskrit name: Prahevajra) was the semi-historical first human teacher of the Dzogchen or Great Perfection teachings. ... Guru Rinpoche - Padmasambhava statue - near Kulu Padmasambhava (also Padmakara or Padma Raja) (Ch: 蓮華生上師; Tib: Padma Jungne), in Sanskrit meaning lotus-born, founded the Tibetan or Tantric school of Buddhism in the 8th century. ... The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism (the other three being the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug). ... The Kagyu (Wylie transliteration: Bka-brgyud) school, also known as the Oral Lineage and the Spotless Practice Lineage school, is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the other three being Nyingma (Rnying-ma), Sakya (Sa-skya), and Gelug (Dge-lugs). ... Jetsun Milarepa (Wylie: Rje-btsun Mi-la-ras-pa), 1052-1135 (approx) was one of one of Tibets most famous yogis and poets, a student of Marpa Lotsawa, and a major figure in the history of the Kagyu (Bka-brgyud) school of Tibetan Buddhism. ... Alternative meaning: Dalai Lama (song) The Dalai Lama belongs to the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. ... The Geluk or Gelug (Wylie transliteration: Dge-lugs, Tibetan: དགེ་ལུགས་པ་) school of Buddhism was founded by Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), a philosopher and tibetan religious leader. ...

In the Bön religion, three separate Dzogchen traditions are attested and continue to be practiced: A-tri (Tib. a khrid), Dzogchen (Tib. rdzogs chen, here referring narrowly to the specific lineage within the Bön tradition), and Shang Shung Nyen Gyu (Tib. zhang zhung snyan rgyud). All are traced back to the mythical founder of Bön, Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche (Tib. ston pa gshen rab mi bo che). THE LIFE OF TONPA SHENRAB The founder of the Bon religion, the Lord Shenrab Miwo, was one of three brothers, Dagpa, Salba and Shepa. ...

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 (or Testaments) of Garab Dorje: Garab Dorje (Sanskrit name: Prahevajra) was the semi-historical first human teacher of the Dzogchen or Great Perfection teachings. ...

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 (Tib. sems sde), the series of Mind, that focuses on the introduction to one's own primordial mental state
2. Longde (Tib. klong sde), the series of Space, that focuses on developing the capacity to gain familiarity with the state and remove doubts
3. Men-ngak (Tib. 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. Nondualism is the belief that dualism or dichotomy are illusory phenomena. ...

The Practice of Dzogchen

In Dzogchen, self-liberation is achieved by discovering or recognizing one's own primordial mental state and remaining in that natural state of primordial awareness in which all phenomena are experienced without creating karma through reaction, attachment, or conceptual labelling. Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म from the root kri, to do, meaning deed) or Kamma (Pali: meaning action, effect, destiny) is a term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. ...

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. Silent and prolonged meditation 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 minds and to glimpse our true nature. Sogyal Rinpoche is a Tibetan Dzogchen master of the Nyingma tradition. ... Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (born in Dege, Eastern Tibet, in 1938) is a teacher and master of Dzogchen, one of the teachings of Buddha. ... Rinpoche (Pronunciation: rin-po-shay) is a Tibetan Buddhist religio-/theological title. ... Dzogchen contemplation (Wylie: mnyam bzhag) is the main practice of Dzogchen teaching. ... Meditation is the practice of focusing the mind, often formalized into a specific routine. ...

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 mind, 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 mind, 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 mind. 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.

Uses and Application for Ordinary People

Tulku Thubten Rinpoche of the Dharmata Foundation teaches that "being aware of one's awareness" is a simple method for people to follow in practicing Dzogchen moment to moment. Consistency is the key to this method.

Reality vs Dreams

See also: Lucid dreaming

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 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. Wikibooks has more about this subject: Lucid Dreaming Lucid dreaming is the conscious perception of ones state while dreaming, resulting in a much clearer (lucid) experience and usually enabling direct control over the content of the dream. ... Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (born in Dege, Eastern Tibet, in 1938) is a teacher and master of Dzogchen, one of the teachings of Buddha. ... Rinpoche (Pronunciation: rin-po-shay) is a Tibetan Buddhist religio-/theological title. ... Pierre-Cécile Puvis de Chavannes: The Dream, 1883 A girl sleeps in her bed, before reaching REM sleep. ...

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. The Tibetan word Bardo means literally intermediate state - also translated as transitional state or in-between state. In Sanskrit the concept has the name antarabhava. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

One aim of dream practice is to realize during a dream that one is dreaming. One can then 'take control' of the dream 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. A stone image of the Buddha. ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE. Gautama Buddha was a South Asian spiritual leader who lived between approximately 563 BCE and 483 BCE. Born Siddhartha Gautama in Sanskrit, a name meaning descendant of Gotama whose aims are achieved/who is efficacious in achieving aims, he... Śūnyatā, शून्यता (Sanskrit, Pali: suññatā), or Emptiness, is a term for an aspect of the Buddhist metaphysical critique as well as Buddhist epistemology and phenomenology. ...

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.^[2]

Footnotes

1. ↑  Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Dream Yoga And The Practice Of Natural Light. Edited and introduced by Michael Katz, Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, NY, ISBN 1−55939−007−7, pp. 42, 46, 48, 96, 105.
2. ↑  Chögyal Namkhai Norbu The Crystal and The Way of Light

References

• Elías Capriles, Buddhism and Dzogchen. Part 1 - Buddhism: a Dzogchen Outlook. Published on the Web: http://eliascapriles.dzogchen.ru/
• Chögyal Namkhai Norbu (tr. John Shane), Dzogchen: The Self-perfected State. Snow Lion Publications, 2000.
• Chögyal Namkhai Norbu The Crystal and The Way of Light
• Dudjom Rinpoche, The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Vol. 1. Wisdom Publications, 1991.
• John Myrdhin Reynolds, The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master. Snow Lion Publications, 1996.
• John Myrdhin Reynolds, 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, 2005.
• Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Random House, 2002.

See also

• Lucid dreaming

Wikibooks has more about this subject: Lucid Dreaming Lucid dreaming is the conscious perception of ones state while dreaming, resulting in a much clearer (lucid) experience and usually enabling direct control over the content of the dream. ...

External links

• Ground, Path and Fruition, A summary of Dzogchen teachings
• Dzogchen Atiyoga, Info Page
• Dzogchen Institute, founded by Surya Das
• Tsegyalgar, International Dzogchen Community in America (founded by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche)
• Merigar, International Dzogchen Community in Europe (founded by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche)
• Dzogchen Lineage, website of international Sangha under the guidance of Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche
• Nyingma Institute, Info Page
• Sogyul Rinpoche's Dzogchen Seminars
• Rimé Foundation A non-profit organization specializing in the translation of Tibetan literature, with a special focus on the Dzogchen tradition
• The Ligmincha Institute, founded by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche in 1992.
• Dharmata Foundation
• Dzogchen Atiling Centres in east coast, USA
• Material on the history and Practice of Dzogchen (by Alexander Berzin)