Tögal

Tögal (Tib. ཐོད་རྒལ་, Wyl. thod rgal) — one of the two aspects, along with trekchö, of Dzogchen practice.

Tögal, translated as ‘direct crossing’, ‘the direct approach’ or ‘leapover’, can bring very quickly the actual realization of the three kayas in this lifetime, and thus is a more rapid way of bringing about the dissolution of the practitioner’s karmic vision. The practice of tögal brings the realization of ‘spontaneous presence’ (Tib. ལྷུན་གྲུབ་, lhundrup), and it can only be undertaken by a practitioner who has first gained stability in the practice of kadak trekchö.

Sogyal Rinpoche writes:

Only when the master has determined that you have a thorough grounding in the practice of trekchö will he or she introduce you to the advanced practice of tögal. The tögal practitioner works directly with the clear light that dwells inherently, “spontaneously present,” within all phenomena, using specific and exceptionally powerful exercises to reveal it within himself or herself.

Tögal has a quality of instantaneousness, of immediate realization. Instead of traveling over a range of mountains to reach a distant peak, the tögal approach would be to leap there in one bound. The effect of tögal is to enable a person to actualize all the different aspects of enlightenment within themselves in one lifetime. Therefore it is regarded as the extraordinary, unique method of Dzogchen; whereas trekchö is its wisdom, tögal is its skilful means. It requires enormous discipline, and is generally practiced in a retreat environment.

Yet it cannot be stressed too often that the path of Dzogchen can only be followed under the direct guidance of a qualified master.

Further Reading

• Jamgön Mipham, White Lotus, translated by the Padmakara Translation Group (Boston and London: Shambhala, 2007), 'An explanation of the Seven-Line Prayer according to the innermost, secret Great Perfections, the Heart-Essence of Luminosity', pages 65-73.
• Ringu Tulku, The Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgön Kongtrul the Great (Boston & London: Shambhala Publications, 2006), pages 257-282.
• Tsele Natsok Rangdröl, 'Tögal' in Quintessential Dzogchen, translated & compiled by Erik Pema Kunsang and Marcia Binder Schmidt (Boudhanath, Hong Kong & Esby: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 2006), pages 244-247.
• Tulku Thondup, The Practice of Dzogchen (Ithaca: Snow Lion, pages 73-76.

1) w stages skipped/ out of order, bypass [the gradual steps], skip the grades;

2) All-surpassing realization of spontaneous presence [gd];

3) [instantaneous] passing over, by passing [lit. to for the skull] overpass, instantaneous directness, crossing [over/ above/ in 1 leap/ in leaps and bounds.;

3) evanescent realization;

4) teleportational reconcealment ;

5) the three progressions;

6) 1st/ 4th of the four consolidations according to All-surpassing realization;

7) thogal practice. [IW]

1) w stages skipped/ out of order rim pa 'chol ba . Rim pa 'og ma nas gong du thod rgal gyis 'dzegs pa;

2) lhun grub thod rgal; 3) [instantaneous] passing over, by passing [lit. to for the skull] overpass, instantaneous directness, crossing [over/ above/ in

1 leap/ in leaps and bounds.;

3) evanescent realization;

4) teleportational reconcealment [?]

5) the three progressions sna zin. grabbing the nose, gtan la phebs. becoming [?], [?] rdzog. - completion]

(6) All-surpassing realisation [gd] 1st/ 4th of the four consolidations according to All-surpassing realisation, thogal practice, bypass gradual steps, skip the grades" [Notes: str--thod - forehead; rgal - transcending; so, "transcending from the level of the forehead or peak] [IW]

Sudden jump, here means to jump to a higher level while skipping the grades or steps in between [RY]

creative light, advanced practice for developing one's vision according to the upadesha series, direct approach, direct crossing, teleportational reconcealment, SA sgron ma bzhi, snang ba bzhi, working with light, esoteric practice of realization, vision of the light, "upward jump", "skull cross (cross the bridge which separates samsara from nirvana during the time when one has a skull)", direct passage, 1 of snyoms par 'jug pa dgu, Thodgal, passing over the summit (the development of vision practice in the Dzogchen Upadesha), surpassing the pinnacle, leapover, transcendence, quantum leap, method of contemplation of light by which rdzogs chen practitioners attain the 'ja' lus without leaving mortal remains at death [JV]

Direct crossing [RY]

1) not keeping to the usual order;

2) lhun grub thod rgal [instantaneous] passing over/ directness [by passing [lit. to for the skull] or to overpass, instantaneous directness, crossing [over/above/ in 1 leap/ in leaps and bounds]

3) evanescent realization.

4) teleportational reconcealment

5) the three progressions sna zin. grabbing the nose, gtan la phebs. becoming, rdzog. - completion]

6) All-surpassing realisation [gdmk]: 1st OR 4th of the four consolidations according to All-surpassing realisation gdmk "skip the grades", bypass [[[gradual]] steps], thogal, "transcending from the level of the forehead or peak" [IW]

1) bypass, overpass, by passing, passing over, "to skip the grades", "bypass gradual steps", surpassing, crossing, crossing over / above.

2) crossing in one leap, in leaps and bounds.

2) Togal, Direct Crossing, simultaneous passing; Sudden jump; Passing Over; instantaneous directness, lit. "passing over the summit" [RY]

Togal. 'Direct crossing.' Dzogchen has two main sections: Trekcho and Togal. The former emphasizes primordial purity (ka dag) and the latter spontaneous presence (lhun grub). (RY)

surpassing ordinary experience/ the pinnacle point; (making) the final leap (into primordial being)* (RB)

See Also

• Four visions
• Dzogchen Terminology

Source

RigpaWiki:Tögal