Dzogchen
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Dzogchen as a study and practice of 'Tibetan Buddhism' has been until recently a highly secret and guarded vehicle of buddhist activity. Even though western students have been interested in Dzogchen, particularly popularised by Jung, it has largely been misunderstood. Dzogchen (meaning Great Perfection - a Tibetan word dzog meaning perfected state, chen meaning total. According to Dzogchen Master Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, the term first and foremost denotes a special mental state. Each person has their own Dzogchen, their own potentiality; and not only human beings, but all sentient beings. And in order to discover our potentiality, we have teachings.
To recognize the state of dzogchen and to stay in this state all the time is the goal of the spiritual tradition. Attaining the state of being described in the Dzogchen Teaching and staying in this state forever is said to be the pinnacle of all the Buddhist paths of realization. The Dzogchen Teachings are described by its adherents as a set of 'inner' or 'heart' teachings which is complete in itself, having its own distinct practices and lineage. An 'inner' teaching, according to the tradition, is one that focuses on the changes a person can effect on personal attitudes, compassion, love and other inner forces.
Dzogchen, however, is not a do-it-yourself avenue to perfection. All Masters of Dzogchen stress the importance of transmission of Dzogchen through a lineage of Dzogchen Masters, and the importance of a practice called guru yoga which requires the student to unify her/his mind with the master. The importance of these practices is that they reawaken the state of primordial perfection within the practitioner.
The actual meaning and practice of Dzogchen varies considerably from lineage to lineage. In some practices various elements of the teaching are highly symbolic of mental states while in other lineages, these same elements can be seen as actual realities. For example, the eighteen hells are in some lineages eighteen states of mind, whereas in others, they represent eighteen actual locations within the universe.
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Background
According to Tibetan Buddhism, Padmasambhava, also known as the Second Buddha, was the master who firmly established the Tantric and Dzogchen teachings in Tibet in the ninth century A.D. Apparently free from the normal limitations of time and space, Padmasambhava received Dzogchen transmissions from Garab Dorje, the first human Knowledge Holder of Dzogchen who apparently lived about 300 years after the First Buddha, Sakayamuni. In India, Padmasambhava received further Dzogchen teachings studying there fore 25 years.
Perhaps one of the more authentic versions of Dzogchen in English is the interpretation of Patrul Rinpoche's work, The Words of My Perfect Teacher which was released by the Padmakara Translation Group in 1994, and a further commentary released in 2004, A Guide to The Words of My Perfect Teacher. This version of Dzogchen is perhaps more practical than others that stress a knowledge of the more theoretical aspects of Dzogchen bordering on a philosophy rather than a practical teaching.
In an attempt to bring Dzogchen to English speaking people, Lawless & Allan (American authors who have learnt the traditions of Dzogchen from a master of Dzogchen in India and Tibet) provide knowledge of Dzogchen, interpreting into modern English some of what would seem to be the more esoteric and inaccessible concepts of Dzogchen for the western world. According to Lawless & Allan, Dzogchen is found both within Tibetan Buddhism and the ancient Bön, or pre-Buddhist, heritage of Tibet. Within the Tibetan traditions of spritiuality, it is thought that Dzogchen is the ultimate, the pinnacle or culmination of spiritual practice that anyone can achieve.
Lawless & Allen endeavour to show that Dzogchen teachings are principally about 'the way' in which we all, as individuals, can take responsibility for our own situation, rather than looking outside ourselves for a solution, whether those outside sources are another person, a state, an institution, or a belief system. Tracing back into history, it is suggested that many Dzogchen masters and practitioners have defied allegiance to any particular religion, sect or social rank, and have lived in the most diverse of situations, thus showing the potential for Dzogchen to be practiced in diverse cultures and cultural settings.
However, Lawless & Allen are missing some of the concrete teachings of Dzogchen and therefore have a rather unsatisfactory review from a practitioners perspective. Reading was never meant to be a way of entering into Dzogchen practice, but rather direct transmission is required in the presence of a Dzogchen Master. There is no substitute. And even in that setting it is only those who are predisposed to an introduction to their primordial state who are enabled to begin an understanding of these secret teachings. In most lineages, it is not acceptable to talk about one's ability to view their primordial state in case one boasts and becomes conceited. So therefore, many people are never sure that what they are experiencing is the genuine article or not as there are few references to gain confirmation of one's experience. Thus, Dzogchen remains a secretive and largely intangible teaching for both Easterners and Westerners.
Concepts
According to who is claimed to be the first historical teacher of Nyingma Dzogchen lineage, Garab Dorje, Dzogchen has three key points:
- 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)
The core understanding of Dzogchen centers on three terms: View, Meditation and Behaviour. To see directly the absolute state of our mind is the View; the way of stablizing that View and making it an unbroken experience is Meditation; and integrating that View into our daily life is what is meant by Behaviour.
The Practice of Dzogchen
Sogyal Rinpoche, another Dzogchen Master, provides what would seem to be a practical set of instructions as to how to practice Dzogchen. The central practice of Dzogchen, Sogyul Rinppoche states, is meditation; the objective of silent and prolonged meditation is to clear the clouds of obscurity that the world has embedded in our minds; everything that is of this world is 'Samsara' or suffering. Through meditation it is possible, he states, to clear the cultural conditioning from our minds and to glimpse our true nature.
Dzogchen practice does not require the practitioner to be anywhere special -- in fact -- to be doing normal activities while practicing is the ultimate practice of Dzogchen. Practice in Dzogchen starts with observing oneself. To discern what is appropriate for use in Dzogchen practice, we need to be clear about our personal capacities and limitations.
The goal is to come to know the real 'me' and have the 'real me' enact loving and compassionate acts which will be the outgrowth of coming to really know who I am. The real me is that shiny perfect space beyond the clouds of obscurity that is my true nature. Through sitting in one place, with eyes open and focus on one's breath to begin with is the first step in glimpsing that 'real me'. When it is possible to recognize that real me during any activity, that is the paramount practice of Dzogchen.
While it is possible to observe through meditation and take glimpses of the real person that I am, it may take serveral lifetimes to achieve the ultimate goal of Dzogchen. Contact with a real teacher from one of the genuine lineages can enable a person to be introduced to the inner being that is currently obscured and then in one lifetime, it is possible to achieve freedom from obscuration and a connection with the inner 'buddha nature'.
Uses and Application for Ordinary People
Some people consider Dzogchen is rather separate from Buddhism, in general. One of the principle ways of seeing how separate is by understanding titles of Dalai Lama. H.H. the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso is a Gelugpa monk, and quite separately then had to qualify as a Dzogchen Master.
In 2005 Dzogchen Master Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche has again emphasized intrinsic Buddhist character of the Dzogchen tradition.
Lawless indicates that worldwide the interest in Dzogchen has increased enormously over the last ten or so years. The fact that it is seen by many to be separate from Buddhism, and yet intertwined in some way, provides a viewpoint from which many Westerns can feel comfortable with the strangeness of Eastern Religious practices. Dzogchen is often practised silently, is a personal matter, and is thus seen to be able to be practised anywhere. This seems to suit the lifestyle of Western peoples.
External links
- Dzogchen Atiyoga (http://dzogchen.info.ms/), Info Page
- Dzogchen Institute (http://www.dzogchen.org/), founded by Surya Das
- Tsegyalgar (http://www.tsegyalgar.org/), International Dzogchen Community in America (founded by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche)
- Merigar (http://www.dzogchen.it/), International Dzogchen Community in Europe (founded by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche)
- Dzogchen Lineage (http://www.dzogchenlineage.org/), website of international Sangha under the guidance of Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche
- Nyingma Institute (http://www.nyingma.org/), Info Page
- Sogyul Rinpoche's Dzogchen Seminars (http://www.rigpa.org/)
- The Ligmincha Institute (http://www.ligmincha.org/), founded by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche in 1992
- The Bön Foundation (http://www.bonfoundation.org), founded in 1989 and dedicated to Bönpo refugees
- Yungdrung Bön Association (http://www.yungdrung-bon.net) (includes a link to English-language page)
References
- Lawless, J. and Allan, J. Beyond Words: Dzogchen Made Simple, Harper Collins. (2003)
- Dudjom Rinpoche. The Nyigma School of Tibetan Buddhism. Vol 1. Wisdom Publications. (1991)
- Sogyal Rinpoche. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Random House. (2002)
- Elías Capriles, Buddhism and Dzogchen. Part 1 - Buddhism: a Dzogchen Outlook. Published on the Web: http://eliascapriles.dzogchen.ru/buddhismanddzogchen1.zipde:Dzogchen