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Dzogchen according to Innermost Notes on Dzogchen according to Innermost Essence (Innermost Thigle; Wylie: snying thig)

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Etymology


Dzogchen (Wylie: rdzogs chen) contains Wylie words “rdzogs” which means “complete” or “total”, and “chen” which means “great”. According to Tibetan B!ddhism o" the Ancient Tradition (Wylie: rnying ma) Dzogchen is “complete” beca!se has one#s own $iew with !ni%!e terminology and practice with the complete res!lt. &t is “great” because all 'ine Yanas (“vehicles” to enlightenment) within Tibetan B!ddhism are not “greater” b!t are steps to the realization o" its “total” meaning. The view is the Primordial Purity (Wylie: *a da*) o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi) and +pontaneous Accomplishment (Wylie: lhun grub) o" the Appearances o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi snang) "or +amsara and "or 'irvana.

The practice is thoroughly cutting through (Wylie: *hregs chod) the Mind (Wylie: sems) to reveal the view o" Primordial Purity (Wylie: *a da*), remain in it without errors and directly cross over (Wylie: thod rgal) it bringing the realization o" +pontaneous Accomplishment (Wylie: lhun grub).

The complete result is the return to Priomordial Buddha (Wylie: *un tu bzang po) with its Three"old -haracteristic.


Terminology


The key terms o" Dzogchen are the “Youth"ul Vase Body” (Wylie: gzhon nu bum s*u) and /igpa.

The “Youth"ul Vase Body” (Wylie: gzhon nu bum s*u) is /igpa which is dwelling at the Basis (Wylie: gzhi) as the Dharma*aya (Priomordial Buddha, Wylie: *un tu bzang po) with its Three"old -haracteristic: 0primordially pure (Wylie: *a da*) 1ssence (Wylie: ngo bo) not established as phenomena (the emptiness), 0spontaneously accomplished (Wylie: lhun grub) 'ature (Wylie: rang bzhin) (the clarity), 0omnipresent Power (Wylie: rtsal) o" -ompassion (Wylie: thugs r2e).

&mportant is also a term the 3Appearances o" the Basis” (Wylie: gzhi snang).

“4aving bro*en” the “Youth"ul Vase Body” (Wylie: gzhon nu bum s*u) because o" the 'ature (Wylie: rang bzhin) o" /igpa arise the Appearances o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi snang) with the Power (Wylie: rtsal) to recognize them. The Appearances o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi snang) cease in themselves into Primordial Purity (Wylie: *a da*) o" Dharma*aya (Priomordial Buddha, Wylie: *un tu bzang po) or i" they do not cease, they are spontaneously accomplished (Wylie: lhun grub) "or 'irvana with the "inal return also to Dharma*aya (Priomordial Buddha, Wylie: *un tu bzang po).

&" during the mani"estation o" the Appearances o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi snang) there will be three"old 5nenlightenment

(Wylie: ma rig pa) this causes the trans"ormation o" the Appearances o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi snang) "or +amsara according to "ollowing scheme:

0not recognizing the 1ssence (Wylie: ngo bo) o" the Appearances o" the Basis, they are not ceased in themselves into Primordial Purity (Wylie: *a da*) o" Dharma*aya (Priomordial Buddha, Wylie: *un tu bzang po) but the "irst 5nenlightnement (Wylie: ma rig pa) ta*es place. &t is made be"ore the Bardo o" Dharmata (Wylie: chos nyid bar do) starts to mani"est

0not recognizing the 'ature (Wylie: rang bzhin) o" the Appearances o" the Basis, they are not spontaneously accomplished (Wylie: lhun grub) "or 'irvana with the "inal return to Dharma*aya (Priomordial Buddha, Wylie: *un tu bzang po) but the second 5nenlightenment (Wylie: ma rig pa) ta*es place. &t is made during the mani"estation o" the Bardo o" Dharmata (Wylie: chos nyid bar do)

0ne7t arises the (dualistic) Mind (Wylie: sems) that apprehends the Appearances o" the Basis (in "orms o" the "ive lights o" "ive wisdoms and the buddha0bodies "rom the Bardo o" Dharmata) as other than an apprehender with their "inal trans"ormation into the "ive elements (space, wind, "ire, water, earth) and the gross bodies o" +amsara in the Bardo o" Becoming (Wylie: srid pa#i bar do) until one ta*es a rebirth in one o" the si7 realms o" +amsara according to the process o" 89 links o" Dependent Origination. This third 5nenlightenment (Wylie: ma rig pa) ta*es place by not recognizing by the Power (Wylie: rtsal) the +pontaneous Accomplishment (Wylie: lhun grub) o" these Appearances o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi snang). The "inal return to Dharmakaya can be made during "urther mani"estation o" the Bardo o" Becoming (Wylie: srid pa#i bar do) or during one#s practice o" Dzogchen a"ter the rebirth in one o" the si7 realms o" +amsara.

There are the 1ight Modes o" Arising o" +pontaneous Accomplishment (Wylie: lhun grub) "or 'irvana (complete enlightenment) and "or +amsara (rebirth in one o" the si7 realms):

8) as the Power (Wylie: rtsal) with the compassion towards sentient beings,

9) as the "ive lights o" the "ive wisdoms pervading all appearances,

) as the "ive wisdoms in the state beyond thoughts, <) as the peace"ul and wrath"ul buddha appearances pervading the space,

=) as the non0duality (Wylie: gnyis med) with no recognition as an apprehender and the apprehended,

>) as the liberatation "rom e7tremes (deviations "rom Madhyamaka) "rom the +pontaneous Accomplishment (Wylie: lhun grub),

?) as the door o" Pristine Wisdom (Wylie: dag pa ye shes) o" 'irvana with the originally pure appearances (o" 'irvana) appearing above,

@) as the door o" impure +amsara with the appearances o" si7 realms and its sentient beings appearing below.

&t is called the Great +imultaneous Arising o" the Appearances o" +amsara and 'irvana.

The terminology o" Dzogchen di""ers "rom -ittamatra

beca!se the Primordial Purity (Wylie: *a da*) o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi) and the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) o" the Appearances o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi snang) transcend the Mind (Wylie: sems) and its mental e$ents incl!ding the d!ality between the apprehender and the apprehended. The Mind (Wylie: sems) is associated only with the 1ight -onscio!snesses, which according to -ittamatra are the Blaya0conscio!sness, the direct conscio!sness and the si7 conscio!snesses o" senses. According to terminology o" Dzogchen this Mind (Wylie: sems) arises only d!ring the last third 5nenlightenment (Wylie: ma rig pa) which too* place only a"ter not spontaneo!sly accomplishing (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) the Appearances o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi snang) beca!se o" the second 5nenlightenment (Wylie: ma rig pa) and only a"ter not recognizing the Primordial P!rity (Wylie: *a da*) beca!se o" the "irst 5nenlightenment (Wylie: ma rig pa).

Dzogchen terminology di""ers "rom Madhyama*a theories beca!se the practice o" Dzogchen realizes the Primordial P!rity (Wylie: *a da*) o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi) and per"ects the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) o" the Appearances o" the Basis (Wylie: gzhi snang) directly and empirically "ree "rom discrimination, concept!ality and all e7tremes o" 'ihilism and 1ternalism. The !nion o" the Primordial P!rity and the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment answers to the Transcendent Cnowledge (Pra2naparamita) o" the Imptiness (+!nyata) and Form (Appearances).


Practice and Result


Whate$er is the Mind (Wylie: sems) there is the 5nenlightenment (Wylie: ma rig pa). When /igpa becomes "ree "rom the Mind (Wylie: sems) it is !sed d!ring the practice !ntil the Per"ect 1nlightenment according to Dzogchen.

The practice o" Tre*chE (Wylie: *hregs chod), a"ter “thoro!ghly c!tting thro!gh” the Mind (Wylie: sems) by the &ntrod!ction in /igpa, re$eals the $iew o" Primordial P!rity (Wylie: *a da*) beyond concept!al elaboration and beca!se o" a stability in it d!ring the process o" one#s own death one attains dissol!tion into Dharma*aya (Priomordial B!ddha, Wylie: *!n t! bzang po), li*e many Dzogchen masters !ntil the present who mani"ested the /ainbow Body (Wylie: #2a l!s) be"ore the dissol!tion into Dharma*aya.


The practice o" TEgal (Wylie: thod rgal ) a"ter a stability in Primordial P!rity (Wylie: *a da*) directly “crosses o$er” it by the realization o" +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) thro!gh the Four Visions (Wylie: snang ba bzhi) that accord with the Three Cayas ('irmana*aya, +ambhoga*aya, Dharma*aya) during one#s own li"e or “crosses o$er” it a"ter the process o" one#s own death during the Bardo o" Dharmata (Wylie: chos nyid bar do) with a realization o" +ambhoga*aya. The per"ect stability in +pontaneous Accomplishment (Wylie: lhun grub) leads to the attainment o" the Body o" Fight (Wylie: a#od phung) in one#s own li"e and it works as the Great Transference Body (Wylie: pho ba ch#en po) "or the bene"it o" sentient beings. Padhmasambha$a, Vimalamitra and tibetan master -hetsun +enge Wangchung because o" attainment o" the Body o" Fight (Wylie: a#od phung) through TEgal accomplished the


Great Trans"erence Body (Wylie: pho ba ch#en po) during one#s own li"e.

Many practitioners o" Dzogchen who not realized Dharma*aya through Tre*chE during the process o" one#s own death or not realized +ambhoga*aya through TEgal during the Bardo o" Dharmata can attain 'irmana*aya during the Bardo o" Becoming (Wylie: srid pa#i bar do) when they will reborn in the Pure Fands o" Buddhas or can choose in the Bardo o" Becoming the ne7t rebirth in the world where they will practice Dzogchen.


There is need to the Three Authentics (Wylie: tshad ldan gsum) "or the &ntroduction in /igpa:


8) authentic empowerment o" the genuine master (Wylie: bla ma byin rlabs tshad ldan),

9) authentic de$otion (openness) o" the genuine student (Wylie: slob ma mos gus tshad ldan),

) authentic instructions o" the genuine lineage (Wylie
brgyud pa#i gdams ngag tshad ldan).

Dzogchen is uni%ue to the 4ighest Yoga Tantras because o" practice o" TEgal (Wylie: thod rgal ) where the Four Famps (with the light channels, the light drops, the naturally occurring wisdom) are used "or arising o" realizations o" the Four Visions with an e7perience similar to this a"ter death in the Bardo o" Dharmata (Wylie: chos nyid bar do, the "irst luminous intermediate state between one#s own death and the ne7t rebirth).


The Four Famps (Wylie: sgron ma bzhi):


8) the "ar0reaching water lamp (Wylie: rgyang zhags chu yi sgron ma) as a gateway that causes the arising (the three other lamps) through the eyes (with the help o" the light channels, Wylie: #od rtsa),

9) the lamp o" the basic space o" /igpa (Wylie: rig pa dbyings *yi sgron ma) as a ground "or the arising o" the e7ternal (a space o" pro2ection "or the two "ollowing other lamps),

) the lamp o" empty $ital essence spheres (Wylie
thig le stong pa#i sgron ma) as a support (the shape o" coloured light0 drops, Wylie: thigle, that 2oin together or "orm groups and which comes "orth inside the second lamp) that acti$ates the arising,

<) the lamp o" naturally occurring wisdom (Wylie: shes rab rang byung gi sgron ma) which is not actually “lighting up” but is the naturally occurring wisdom itsel". The Four Visions (Wylie: snang ba bzhi):

8) Direct realization o" Dharmata itsel" (Wylie: chos nyid mngon sum) when direct perception o" reality opens the doors o" pure realms (the $isions),

9) &ncreasing e7perience (Wylie: nyams gong Gphel ba) o" the $isions which result in the 'irmana*aya,

) /igpa reaching "ull maturity (Wylie
rig pa tshad phebs) o" the $isions in the +ambhoga*aya,

<) -onsummation o" Dharmata when e$en the "i7ation on reality will "all away and one will behold the $isions in the Dharma*aya (Wylie: chos nyid du #dzin pa tsam yang zad pa). Atiyoga (Dzogchen &nnermost 1ssence) empowerments (initiations) don#t need to rely on the e7ample pristine awareness Hre$ealedI through the third initiation Ho" pristine awareness through wisdom6 li*e in 4ighest Yoga Tantras which ha$e the "o!r: $ase, secret, and pristine awareness thro!gh wisdom, wordI. /ight "rom the start, %!ali"ied st!dents are con"erred the empowerment o" the creati$e energy o" total presence (Wylie: rig paJi rtsal dbang). 4ere there are "o!r empowerments which p!ri"y the obsc!rations o" body, speech, and mind, and the obsc!rations to omniscience6 and establish the potencies "or awa*ened body, speech, and mind, and nat!rally present l!mino!s clarity (/igpa). They empower Hthe st!dentI in the "o!r practices: the +tage o" Generation (Wylie: bs*yed rim), meditation on &nner 4eat (Wylie: gt!m mo), Tre*chE, TEgal. These empowerments represent "o!r di$isions within the "o!rth initiation. Altho!gh in n!mber they are e%!al to the common initiations o" highest yoga tantra, their meaning is di""erent. A person who has recei$ed the mantric $ows o" the "o!rth initiation in common with the 4ighest Yoga Tantra will be ass!ming a new set o" $ows not pre$io!sly ta*en when a"ter recei$ed Atiyoga empowerments.

&n Atiyoga (Dzogchen &nnermost 1ssence) there are two categories o" pledges (+amaya6 Wylie: dam tshig): (8) general pledges, and (9) e7ceptional pledges. General Pledges (8) are the pledges o" the body, speech, and mind o" a b!ddha, each ha$ing three pledges on the o!ter, inner, and secret le$els (twenty se$en pledges). They deal with the practice o" G!r! Yoga (Wylie: bla ma#i rnal #byor) and the common b!ddhist pledges: 'ot to steal6 'ot to engage in se7!al miscond!ct6 'ot to *ill6 'ot to lie6 'ot to slander others6 'ot to re$ile others6 'ot to be malicio!s6 'ot to be en$io!s6 'ot to hold wayward $iews.


Fo!r l7ceptional Pledges (9) are:


The two"old pledge o" Tre*chE (Wylie: *hregs chod) in relation to the Primordial P!rity (Wylie: *a dag) (9.8): (9.8.8) to liberate onesel" "rom grasping to the reality o" ongoing phenomena by realizing that, as ill!strated by the eight similes o" ill!sion, e$erything that mani"ests is primordially non0e7istent6 (9.8.9) to liberate pro2ected appearances in the state o" reality by c!lti$ating /igpa not entangled in the tension o" grasping at an obser$er.

The two"old pledge o" TEgal (Wylie: thod rgal ) in relation to the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) (9.9): (9.9.8) to disengage onesel" "rom an o!ter spirit!al %!est thro!gh contin!o!s e7periential c!lti$ation o" The Fo!r Visions (Wylie: snang ba bzhi) which are the manifestation o" the HinnerI radiance o" the "i$eH0coloredI light6 (9.9.9) to arri$e in the -ons!mmation o" Dharmata thro!gh the con"ident realization that all occ!rrences and mani"estations are solely /igpa.

KTony D!"" 3Di""erentiating non0distraction and so "orth. An aspect o" training in thoro!gh c!t”, Padma Carpo Translation -ommittee, Cathmand!, 9L88, p. V&, &+B' M?@99;?90;897, e7plains:

3Great -ompletion is o"ten called “Great Per"ection” in 1nglish b!t that presents an incorrect !nderstanding o" the name. The "inal space o" realization is not a state o" per"ection b!t one that contains both per"ection and imper"ection. The name is not intended to connect !s with the idea o" per"ection b!t with the idea o" the 2!nct!re o" all things per"ect and imper"ect, to the idea o" a state o" realization in which all things are complete. There is also the !na$oidable point that Fongchen /ab2amJJs de"initi$e

e7planations in his re$ered te7t The Dharmadhat! Treas!ry ma*e it clear beyond a do!bt that the meaning o" the name is Great -ompletion and not Great Per"ection. 4e mentions in se$eral places that the point o" the name is the incl!sion 0 2!st as the original name from 5ddiyana states „Mahasandhi” - of all dharmas within a single !ni%!e sphere o"

wisdom. -ompletion in the name means that all phenomena are incl!ded at once in a single space o" realization. Great is !sed to disting!ish something *nown by wisdom in direct perception "rom the same thing *nown by d!alistic mind as a concept. Th!s Great -ompletion is not the completion !nderstood thro!gh the !se o" concept, b!t the greater $ersion o" that, the act!al state o" completion *nown thro!gh wisdom.”



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