Notes on Dzogchen according to Innermost Essence (Wylie. sNying thig)

Etymology

Dzogchen (Wyl. rDzogs chen) contains Wylie words “ rDzogs” which means “complete” and “chen” which means “great” or “total”. According to Tibetan Buddhism of the ancient tradition (Wyl. rNying ma) Dzogchen is “complete” because has one's own view with unique terminology, one's own practice and the complete result of the Perfect Enlightenment and is “great” because all Nine Yanas (“vehicles” to enlightenment) within Tibetan Buddhism are not “greater” but are steps to the realization of its “total” meaning.

The view is the primordial purity (Wyl. Ka-dak) of the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi) and spontaneous accomplishment (Wyl. Lhun-Grub) of the Appearances of the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi-sNang) for Samsara or for Nirvana.

The practice is thoroughly cutting through (Wyl. Khregs chod) the Mind (Wyl. Sems) to reveal the view of primordial purity (Wyl. Ka-dak), remain in it without errors and directly cross over (Wyl. Thod rgal) it bringing the realization of spontaneous accomplishment (Wyl. Lhun-Grub).

The result is the return to Priomordial Buddha (Wyl. Kun-tu bzang-po) with its Threefold Nature.

Terminology

The key terms of Dzogchen are the “Youthful Vase Body” (Wyl. Gzhon-Nu Bum-sku) and the Pristine Awareness (Wyl. Rig-pa).

The “Youthful Vase Body” (Wyl. Gzhon-Nu Bum-sku) is the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi) with the Pristine Awareness
(Wyl. Rig-pa) which is dwelling at the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi) as the Dharmakaya (Priomordial Buddha, Wyl. Kun-tu bzang-po) with its Threefold Nature:

-primordially pure (Wyl. Ka-dak) Essence (Wyl. Ngo-bo) not established as phenomena (the emptiness),

-spontaneously accomplished (Wyl. Lhun-Grub) Nature (Wyl. Rang bZhin) (the clarity),

-omnipresent Power (Wyl. Rtsal) (the compassion).

“Having broken” the “Youthful Vase Body” (Wyl. Gzhon-Nu Bum-sku) because of the Nature (Wyl. Rang bZhin) of the Pristine Awareness (Wyl. Rig-pa) arise the Appearances of the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi-sNang) with the Power (Wyl. Rtsal) to recognize them until one will take a rebirth in Samsara with threefold Unenlightenment (Wyl. Ma-Rig-pa) or will be Nirvana with the final return to the Dharmakaya (Priomordial Buddha, Wyl. Kun-tu bzang-po) at the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi) according to following scheme:

-not recognizing the Essence (Wyl. Ngo-bo) of the Appearances of the Basis they are not ceased in themselves into primordial purity (Wyl. Ka-dak) but (1) Unenlightnement of Single Self arises, otherwise with the Power (Wyl. Rtsal) to recognize, they are ceased to Dharmakaya (Priomordial Buddha, Wyl. Kun-tu bzang-po),

-not recognizing the Nature (Wyl. Rang bZhin) of the Appearances of the Basis arises (2) Innate Unenlightenment, otherwise with the Power (Wyl. Rtsal) to recognize, the Appearances of the Basis are spontaneously accomplished (Wyl. Lhun-Grub) for Nirvana with the final return to Dharmakaya (Priomordial Buddha, Wyl. Kun-tu bzang-po),

-by not recognizing by the Power (Wyl. Rtsal) the spontaneous accomplishment (Wyl. Lhun-Grub) for Nirvana of the Appearances of the Basis arises (3) Unenlightenment of Imaginaries, when the (dualistic) Mind
(Wyl. Sems) apprehends the Appearances of the Basis (in forms of the five lights of five wisdoms and the buddha-bodies) as other than an apprehender with their final transformation into the five elements (space, wind, fire, water, earth) and the gross bodies of Samsara until one take a rebirth in one of the six realms of Samsara according to the process of 12 links of Dependent Origination.

There are the Eight Modes of Arising of Spontaneous Accomplishment (Wyl. Lhun-Grub) for Nirvana or for Samsara:
1) as (in the Basis, Wyl. Gzhi) the space for the arising the Appearances of the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi-sNang) does not cease, there arises the Power (Wyl. Rtsal) as the compassion towards sentient beings,
2) as the space for arising as the light (Wyl. A'od) does not cease, there arise the self lights of the five wisdoms and they pervade all appearances,
3) as the space for arising the five wisdoms does not cease, they remain in the state beyond thoughts,
4) as the space for arising as the buddha-bodies does not cease, the peaceful and wrathful buddha-appearances fill the space,
5) as the space for arising as non-duality (Wyl. gNyis-Med) does not cease, there is no recognition as an apprehender and the apprehended,
6) as the space for arising as the liberated from extremes (deviations from Madhyamaka) does not cease, the spontaneous accomplishment is clear as the self-essence,
7) as the space for arising as the door of Pristine Wisdom (Wyl. Dag-pa Ye-shes) of Nirvana does not cease, the originally pure appearances appear above,
8) as the space for arising as the door of impure Samsara does not cease, the appearances of six realms and its sentient beings appear below.

The terminology of Dzogchen differs from Cittamatra because the primordial purity (Wyl. Ka-dak) of the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi) and the spontaneous accomplishment (Wyl. Lhun-Grub) of the Appearances of the Basis
(Wyl. Gzhi-sNang) transcend the Mind (Wyl. Sems) and its mental events including the duality between the apprehender and the apprehended. The Mind (Wyl. Sems) is associated only with the Eight Consciousnesses, which according to Cittamatra or Shentong are the allbasic consciousness (Alaya Vijnana), the direct consciousness and the six consciousnesses of senses, and which according to Dzogchen arise only after not spontaneously accomplishing (Wyl. Lhun-Grub) the Appearances of the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi-sNang).

Its terminology differs from Madhyamaka theories because the practice of Dzogchen realizes the primordial purity (Wyl. Ka-dak) of the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi) and perfects the spontaneous accomplishment (Wyl. Lhun-Grub) of the Appearances of the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi-sNang) directly and empirically free from discrimination, conceptuality and all extremes of nihilism and eternalism.

Practice and Result

Whatever is the Mind (Wyl. Sems) there is the Unenlightenment (Wyl. Ma-Rig-pa). When the Pristine Awareness (Wyl. Rig-pa) becomes free from the Mind (Wyl. Sems) it is used during the practice until the Perfect Enlightenment according to Dzogchen.

The practice of Trekchö (Wyl. Khregs chod), after “thoroughly cutting through” the Mind (Wyl. Sems) by the Introduction, reveals the view of primordial purity (Wyl. Ka-dak) beyond conceptual elaboration and because of a stability in it during the process of one's own death one attains dissolution into Dharmakaya (Priomordial Buddha, Wyl. Kun-tu bzang-po) at the Basis (Wyl. Gzhi), like many Dzogchen masters until the present who manifested the Rainbow Body (Wyl. 'Ja-lus).

The practice of Tögal (Wyl. Thod rgal ) after a stability in primordial purity (Wyl. Ka-dak) directly “crosses over” it by the realization of spontaneous accomplishment (Wyl. Lhun-Grub) of the Appearances of the Basis
(Wyl. Gzhi-sNang) through The Four Visions (Wyl. Snang ba bzhi) that accord with the Three Kayas (Nirmanakaya, Sambhogakaya, Dharmakaya) during one's own life or “crosses over” it after the process of one's own death during the Bardo of Dharmata (Wyl. Chos-nyid Bar-do) with a realization of Sambhogakaya. Padhmasambhava, Vimalamitra and Chetsun Senge Wangchung because of attainment of the Body of Light (Wyl. A'od-Phung) through Tögal accomplished the Great Transference Body (Wyl. Pho-Ba Ch'en-Po) during one's own life.

Many practitioners of Dzogchen who not realized Dharmakaya through Trekchö during the process of one's own death or not realized Sambhogakaya through Tögal during the Bardo of Dharmata can attain Nirmanakaya during the Bardo of Becoming (Wyl. Srid-pa'i Bar-do) when they will reborn in the Pure Lands of Buddhas or can choose in the Bardo of Becoming the next rebirth in the world where they will practice Dzogchen.

There is need to the Three Authentics (Wyl. Tshad ldan gsum) for the Introduction:

1) authentic empowerment of the genuine master (Wyl. Bla ma byin rlabs tshad ldan),

2) authentic devotion (openness) of the genuine student (Wyl. Slob ma mos gus tshad ldan),

3) authentic instructions of the genuine lineage (Wyl. Brgyud pa'i gdams ngag tshad ldan).

Dzogchen is unique to the Highest Yoga Tantras because of practice of Tögal (Wyl. Thod rgal ) where the Four Lamps (with the light channels, the light drops, the naturally occurring wisdom) are used for arising of realizations of the Four Visions with an experience similar to this after death in the Bardo of Dharmata
(Wyl. Chos-nyid Bar-do, the first luminous intermediate state between one's own death and the next rebirth).

The Four Lamps (Wyl. Sgron ma bzhi):

1) the far-reaching water lamp (Wyl. Rgyang zhags chu yi sgron ma) as a gateway that causes the arising
(the three other lamps) through the eyes (with the help of the light channels, Wyl. 'Od rtsa),

2) the lamp of the basic space of awareness (Wyl. Rig-pa dbyings kyi sgron ma) as a ground for the arising of the external (a space of projection for the two following other lamps),

3) the lamp of empty vital essence spheres (Wyl. Thig le stong pa'i sgron ma) as a support (the shape of coloured light-drops, Wyl. Thigle, that join together or form groups and which comes forth inside the second lamp) that activates the arising,

4) the lamp of naturally occurring wisdom (Wyl. Shes rab rang byung gi sgron ma) which is not actually “lighting up” but is the naturally occurring wisdom itself.

The Four Visions (Wyl. Snang ba bzhi):

1) Direct realization of reality itself (Wyl. Chos-nyid mngon sum) when direct perception of reality opens the doors of pure realms (the visions),

2) Increasing experience (Wyl. Nyams gong ‘phel ba) of the visions which will result in the Nirmanakaya,

3) Awareness reaching full maturity (Wyl. Rig-pa tshad phebs) of the visions in the Sambhogakaya,

4) Dissolution of mentally designated appearances when even the fixation on reality will fall away and one will behold the visions in the Dharmakaya (Wyl. Chos-nyid du 'dzin pa tsam yang zad pa).

Resources

1. Longchen Rabjam, Tulku Thondup: "The Practice of Dzogchen", Snow Lion Publications, 2002,
ISBN 1559391790.

2. Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé, Sarah Harding: "The Treasury of Knowledge: Book Eight, Esoteric Instructions, A Detailed Presentation of the Process of Meditation in Vajrayana", Snow Lion Publications, 2007, ISBN 1559392843.

3. Sogyal Rinpoche: "Tibetan Book of Living and Dying", HarperCollins Publishers, 1993,
ISBN-13 9780062508348.

4. http://www.rigpawiki.org : “Rigpa Shedra Wiki, an online encyclopedia of Tibetan Buddhism”, 2007.

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