Longchen Nyingthig
Longchen Nyingthig (Tibetan: ཀློང་ཆེན་སྙིང་ཐིག་, Wylie: klong chen snying thig) is a systematic explanation of Dzogchen within the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. Like the world famous Bardo Thodol, the Longchen Nyingthig is a seminal example of the terma tradition. The Longchen Nyingthig is generally classified as a Vajrayana or tantric Buddhist esoteric teaching and has an extensive meditational, trance and ritual practice, oral tradition and tantric literature associated with it.
Longchen Nyingtik a Nyingma cycle of teachings and practice, which was discovered by Jikmé Lingpa as mind terma.
he Revelation of Longchen Nyingtik
Regarding the revelation of the Longchen Nyingtik teachings, Tulku Thondup writes:
While Guru Rinpoche was visiting Tibet…he conferred the Longchen Nyingtik teachings on King Trisong Detsen, Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal, and Vairochana… He gave prophetic empowerments by saying that the teachings would be discovered by Jikmé Lingpa, an incarnation (tulku) of King Trisong Detsen.
So centuries later, when the prophetic empowerments of Guru Rinpoche ripened and the favorable circumstances came to fruition, the concealed Longchen Nyingtik teachings were accordingly awakened in the enlightened mind of Jikmé Lingpa as mind ter.[1]
Jikmé Lingpa discovered the Longchen Nyingtik teachings as mind ter at the age of twenty-eight. Tulku Thondup writes:
In the evening of the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Fire Ox year of the thirteenth Rabjung cycle (1757), Jikmé Lingpa went to bed with an unbearable devotion to Guru Rinpoche in his heart; a stream of tears of sadness continuously wet his face because he was not in Guru Rinpoche’s presence, and unceasing words of prayers kept singing in his breath.
He remained in the depths of that meditation experience of clear luminosity for a long time. While being absorbed in that luminous clarity, he experienced flying a long distance through the sky while riding a white lion. He finally reached a circular path, which he thought to be the circumambulation path of Jarung Khashor, now known as Boudhanath Stupa, an important Buddhist monument of giant structure in Nepal. [2]
In this vision, the wisdom dakinis gave Jikmé Lingpa a casket containing five yellow scrolls and seven crystal beads. One of the scrolls contained the prophetic guide of Longchen Nyingtik, called Nechang Thukkyi Drombu. At the instruction of a dakini, he ate the yellow scrolls and crystal beads, and all the words and meaning of the Longchen Nyingtik terma were awakened in his mind.
Jikmé Lingpa kept this terma secret for years, and he did not even transcribe the terma until he entered another retreat in which he had a series of visions of Longchen Rabjam. Tulku Thondup explains:
In the earth-hare year (1759) he started another three-year retreat, at Chimpu near Samye monastery. During that retreat, because he was inspired by three successive pure visions of Longchen Rabjam, and he was urged by repeated requests of dakinis, he transcribed his terma as the cycle of Longchen Nyingtik. On the tenth day of the sixth month (monkey month) of the monkey year (1764) he made his terma public for the first time by conferring the transmission of empowerment and the instructions upon fifteen disciples. [3]
The Longchen Nyingtik terma consists of tantric sadhanas and teachings.
Thondup & Talbott (1996: xiii) state
- Longchen Nyingthig (the heart-essence of infinite expanse, or the ultimate truth of the universal openness) is a cycle of mystical teachings that represent the innermost meditation of Dzogpa Chenpo [Dzogchen], revealed by the great scholar and adept Jigme Lingpa (1730-1798). Jigme Lingpa discovered them as a "mind ter" (or "mind treasure"), teachings that were discovered from the enlightened nature of the mind.
Nomenclature, orthography and etymology
The Longchen Nyingtig may be translated as 'seminal heart of Longchenpa', a reference to the central figure of Jigme Lingpa's 'pure visions' (Wylie: dag-snang) in which the texts were revealed. 'Nyingthig' (which connotes 'seminal essence' or 'heart focus'). It is worthy of note that 'thig' is an etymon of 'thig-le' which is the Tibetan cognate of the Sanskrit 'bindu' the central point of the 'mandala' (Tibetan: Khor lo).
Alternate orthographies: Longchen Nyingtik.
History and background
Atiyoga is traditionally conveyed as a triunic teaching, that is, it has three indivisible sections. The tradition holds Mañjushrīmītra to have first codified Atiyoga into these three indivisible sections, namely: Semde (mind class/cycle); Longde (space class/cycle); and Mengagde (direct/oral instruction class/cycle). One of the principal polysemic symbols of Dzogpa Chenpo or Atiyoga is the Gankyil which is clearly a visual example of a triune and sometimes also a quadrune or a svastika (the sauvastika is also the principal symbol of the Bönpo which shares in the Dzogchen tradition along with the Nyingmapa and Kagyupa). In turn, Shri Singha divided the Mengagde into a further four cycles: the outer, inner, esoteric, and innermost esoteric cycle. These four cycles of the Mengagde are of one kind in that they are teachings on the 'primordially pure nature' (or Kadag; Wylie: Ka Dag) which is called 'cutting through' (or Trekchö; Wylie: Khregs Ch'od) all the grasping, clinging and apprehending obscuring the primordially pure substrate of the mindstream: refer Kadag Trekchö. The 'innermost esoteric cycle' of the Mengagde is focused upon the 'spontaneous perfection of appearances' (Lhündrub; Wylie: Lhun Grub) which is known as the 'direct approach' (Tögal; Wylie: Thod rGal): refer Lhündrub Tögal. There are many Mengagde traditions and teachings although there are two principal historical redactions and elucidations given the nomenclature 'Nyingthig'. These principal two are the Vima Nyingthig brought to Tibet by Vimalamitra and the Khandro Nyingthig brought to Tibet by Padmasambhava. Into the mindstream of Jigme Lingpa merged the mindstream tributaries of Vimalamitra and King Trisong Detsen of whom he, Jigme Lingpa, was a joint 'emanation' (Tibetan: tulku) or 'embodiment' (Sanskrit: nirmanakaya). Now as was previously stated Vimalamitra brought the Vima Nyingthig to Tibet. Padmasambhava, who brought the Khandro Nyingthig to Tibet, transmitted this to King Trisong Detsen. So both the Khandro Nyingthig and the Vima Nyingthig were within the mindstream of Jigme Lingpa and were realised by him as 'mind ter' or 'mind terma' (Wylie: dgongs-gter). As Thondup & Talbott state (1996: p. 44):
- Jigme Lingpa was a reincarnation of both Vimalamitra himself and King Trisong Detsen, who was a recipient of Nyingthig teachings from Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra. So the Nyingthig teachings of two major lineages flowed together in Jigme Lingpa. Longchen Nyingthig is the essence or embodiment of the two Nyingthig traditions, Vima Nyingthig and Khandro Nyingthig.
Revelation of the Longchen Nyingtig
Thondup and Talbott (1995: p. 97) state that:
- While transmitting esoteric teachings to his realized disciples in Tibet, Guru Padmasambhava concealed many teachings with the blessings of his enlightened mind stream in the nature of the intrinsic awareness of the minds of his disciples through the power of “mind-mandated transmission” (gtad rgya); thereby the master and disciple became united as one in the teachings and realization. Here, the master has concealed the teachings and blessings, the esoteric attainments, as ter in the pure nature of the minds of his disciples through his enlightened power, and he has made aspirations that the ter may be discovered for the sake of beings when the appropriate time comes.
Thondup and Talbott (1996: p. 122) state that when Jigme Lingpa was 28 years old:
- In the evening of the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Fire Ox year of the thirteenth Rabjung cycle (1757), he went to bed with an unbearable devotion to Guru Rinpoche in his heart; a stream of tears of sadness continuously wet his face because he was not in Guru Rinpoche’s presence, and unceasing words of prayers kept singing in his breath. He remained in the depths of that meditation experience of clear luminosity ('Od gSal Gyi sNang Ba) for a long time. While being absorbed in that luminous clarity, he experienced flying a long distance through the sky while riding a white lion. He finally reached a circular path, which he thought to be the circumambulation path of Charung Khashor, now known as Bodhnath Stūpa, and important Buddhist monument of giant structure in Nepal.
Lineage
The Nyingtik Teachings
The Nyingtik teachings are the innermost secret teachings of Dzogchen. The Dzogchen teachings were revealed to Prahevajra (Tib. Garab Dorje) by Vajrasattva, and passed down through an unbroken lineage to present day masters. Within the Dzogchen teachings, there are three categories of teachings suitable to students of different capacity. The Nyingtik is the innermost secret cycle of teachings of the Category of Pith Instructions; this cycle is the most direct approach for students of the highest capacity.
Within the Nyingtik teachings, there are tantras and instructional texts. Regarding the instructional texts, Tulku Thondup explains:
The instructional teachings are elucidated and condensed in two major traditions of Nyingtik. The first one is the detailed teachings for/of the scholars, brought to Tibet by Vimalamitra and known as Vima Nyingtik. It is mainly based on the Seventeen Tantras and the Troma tantra. The second one is the profound teachings for/of mendicants [or yogis], brought to Tibet by Guru Padmasambhava and known as Khandro Nyingtik. It is mainly based on the Longsal Barma tantra. [4]
In the fourteenth century in Tibet, the great master Longchen Rabjam became the lineage holder of both of these Nyingtik traditions, and wrote a commentary on each tradition.
Tradition holds that the first human master of the Longchen Nyingthig lineage was Prahevajra.
The teaching was originally discovered as a terma, a revealed teaching given to the 18th century Nyingma teacher Kunkhyen Jigme Lingpa. The teaching is allegedly descended from the Dharmakaya Buddha Kuntu Zangpo (Skt. Samantabhadra), passed to the Samboghakaya Buddha Dorje Sempa (Skt. Vajrasattva), and then through a series of other teachers until it reached Guru Padmasambhava, who arrived in the mid-8th century to Tibet and converted much of the populace to Buddhism.
Longchen Rabjam, Jikmé Lingpa, and the Longchen Nyingtik Lineage
Longchen Rabjam (1308-1364), also known as Longchenpa, was one of the greatest Dzogchen masters in the Nyingma tradition, and amongst the most brilliant and original writers in Tibetan Buddhist literature. He brought together into a cohesive system the teachings of Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik, on which he wrote the ‘Three Yangtik’ or Inner Essencess.
Four centuries later, Jikmé Lingpa was tremendously inspired by the teachings of Longchenpa. After Jikmé Lingpa discovered the terma of Longchen Nyingtik (which included tantric sadhanas and teachings) he entered into a three-year retreat in the caves of Chimphu in which he fervently invoked Longchenpa with a Guru Yoga he had composed. Longchenpa appeared to him in three visions, through which he received the blessing and transmission of the wisdom body, speech and mind of Longchenpa, empowering him with the responsibility of preserving the meaning of the teachings of Longchenpa, and of spreading them. As a result, Jikmé Lingpa’s mind became one with the wisdom mind of Longchenpa.
In this way, Jikmé Lingpa became the lineage holder of Longchenpa’s teachings on the Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik. Jikmé Lingpa was a reincarnation of both King Trisong Detsen and Vimilamitra. Therefore, the Nyingtik teachings of these two major lineages flowed together in Jikmé Lingpa.
The Longchen Nyingtik lineage includes both the terma of Longchen Nyingtik discovered by Jikmé Lingpa, and teachings of Longchen Rabjam on Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik that were revealed to Jikmé Lingpa in a series of visions.
The Stages of Practice
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche said:
The cycle of the Longchen Nyingtik is composed of many sections. It includes the preliminary and main practices, the development and completion stages, and, most important, the practice of Ati Yoga, or Dzogchen. It thus constitutes a complete path to enlightenment.[5]
In the Longchen Nyingtik tradition, the preliminary (or ngöndro) practices are commonly referred to as the Longchen Nyingtik Ngöndro.
After completing the ngondro, training in the development and completion stages is done through sadhana practices such as Rigdzin Dupa. Traditionally, a student trains in a series of three sadhanas known as the Three Roots.
Finally, if the student is sufficiently prepared, a qualified teacher may give the students instructions in Dzogchen, which focus on the direct realization of the nature of mind.
Teaching
Sam van Schaik (2000) opens discourse into English on the themes and motifs of the simultaneous and gradualist approaches to the Great Perfection within the Longchen Nyingthig.
The Major Texts
The major texts of Longchen Nyingtik are as follows: Original Tantras
The root tantra: Kuntu Zangpo Yeshe Longki Gyü The subsequent tantra: Gyü Chima Teachings: Kuntu Zangpö Gong-nyam Instructions
a. Instructions: Nesum Shenje and Neluk Dorje Tsigang
b. Their commentaries: Yeshe Lama with its supporting texts
Sadhanas
1. Male vidyadharas
a. Peaceful:
outer: Guru Yoga
inner: Rigdzin Düpa
secret: Dukngal Rangdrol
innermost secret: Ladrup Tiklé Gyachen
b. Wrathful:
blue: Palchen Düpa
red: Takhyung Barwa
2. Female vidyadharas
a. Peaceful: root sadhana: Yumka Dechen Gyalmo b. Wrathful: secret sadhana: Senge Dongchen
The Detailed Longchen Nyingtik Lineage
Some of the main lineage holders of the Longchen Nyingtik lineage are listed below.
First stage
Samantabhadra, the Dharmakaya
Vajrasattva, the Sambhogakaya
Prahevajra (Tib. Garab Dorje), the Nirmanakaya; the first human master of Dzogpa Chenpo
Hitting the Essence in Three Words
Mañjushrimitra
Six Experiences of Meditation
Shri Singha
Seven Nails
Jñanasutra
Four Means of Abiding
Vimalamitra
Vima Nyingtik
Guru Rinpoche
Khandro Nyingtik
King Trisong Detsen, received Nyingtik teachings from Guru Rinpoche and Vimalimitra
Yeshe Tsogyal
Vairotsana
Longchen Rabjam
Ridgzin Jigmé Lingpa, revealed the Longchen Nyingtik teachings
Later stages
Dodrupchen I Jikmé Trinlé Özer, the direct disciple of Jigme Lingpa, he arranged and expanded on Jigme Lingpa’s revelation
Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu
Dola Jikmé Kalzang
Fourth Dzogchen Mingyur Namkhé Dorje
Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje
Gyalsé Shenpen Tayé
Dzogchen Khenpo Pema Dorje
Patrul Jigme Chokyi Wangpo
A Brief Guide to the Stages of Visualization
The Words of My Perfect Teacher
The Mirror for Seeing Clearly
Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King
Dodrupchen II Jikmé Puntsok Jungné
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
Illuminating the Excellent Path to Omniscience
Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpé Nyima
Orgyen Tendzin Norbu
Adzom Drukpa Drodul Pawo Dorje
Lushul Khenpo Könchok Drönme
Dodrupchen III Jikmé Tenpé Nyima
Lochen Chönyi Zangmo
Thupten Chökyi Dorje
Khenpo Kunpal
Yukhok Chatralwa Chöying Rangdrol
Ngöndro Compendium
Khenpo Ngawang Palzang
A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher
Chökyi Drakpa
A Torch for the Path to Omniscience
Alak Zenkar Pema Ngödrup Rölwe Dorje
Jamyang Khyentsé Chökyi Lodrö
Khenpo Chechok Thöndrup
The Words of the Vidyadhara which Bestow the Majesty of Great Bliss
Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor
Present day teachers There are many present-day masters of the Longchen Nyingtik lineage; the list below includes some of the teachers most familiar to Rigpa students.
Chatral Sangye Dorje
Trulshik Rinpoche
Dodrupchen IV
Sogyal Rinpoche
Khangsar Tenpé Wangchuk
Alak Zenkar Rinpoche
Pema Wangyal Rinpoche
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche
Dzogchen Rinpoche VII
Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche
Khenpo Chöga
