Longchenpa - The Practice of Dzogchen

A treasure trove for all who aspire to have a deeper understanding of the unsurpassable tantra teachings. Now with the revised and expanded edition of this timeless classica must-read for all students of Buddhadharma who wish to study, understand, and practice the precious Great Completionthese invaluable teachings are further enriched. The peerless teachings of the Omniscient Longchenpa, who was Manjushri in person, and the masterful and insightful translation of Tulku Thondup give us fortunate students a masterpiece that illumines the quintessential, profound teachings of Dzogpa Chenpo.

Mindrolling Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche, author of This Precious Life

Tulku Thondup Rinpoche has performed a service of inestimable value for all serious students of Buddhist thought. One of Tibets greatest philosopher-sages, Longchen Rabjampa, is here made accessible to the specialist and interested nonspecialist in a manner that is authoritative, comprehensive, and clear. This book fills a major gap.

Matthew Kapstein, author of The Tibetan Assimilation of Buddhism

An invaluable guide for those who seriously wish to experience the true nature of the mind.

Parabola

An ambitious work of contemporary Tibetan scholarship with over one hundred original sources consulted in its making.... May prove indispensable to any serious study of Dzogchen philosophy.

Tibet Journal

This is one of the most significant works on Tibetan Buddhism, undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive works on the Nyingma to appear in English.

Tibetan Review

This is one of the most significant works on Tibetan Buddhism to be published in recent years, treating with grace, beauty, and depth a most important subject, namely the character of the Dzogchen tradition and its placement within the overall structure of the Nyingma doctrine and training. An understanding of Dzogchen will benefit any philosophical or religious study of Tibetan Buddhism. This is undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive works on the Nyingma to appear in English.

Glenn H. Mullin, author of From the Heart of Chenrezig

ABOUT THE BOOK

This classic collection of texts on the meditation practice and theory of Dzogchen presents the Great Perfection through the writings of its supreme authority, the fourteenth-century Tibetan scholar and visionary Longchen Rabjam. The pinnacle of Vajrayana practice in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Dzogchen embodies a system of training that awakens the intrinsic nature of the mind to reveal its original essence, utterly perfect and free from all dualitybuddha nature, or buddhahood itself.

In The Practice of Dzogchen, Tulku Thondup translates essential passages from Longchen Rabjams voluminous writings to illuminate and clarify this teaching. He also draws on the works of later masters of the tradition, placing Dzogchen in context both in relation to other schools of Buddhism and in relation to the nine-vehicle outline of the Buddhist path described in the Nyingma tradition. This expanded edition includes Counsel for Liberation, Longchenpas poetic exhortation to readers to quickly enter the path of liberation, the first step toward the summit of Dzogchen practice.

LONGCHEN RABJAM (13081363) was born to a noble family of Tibet under many signs of auspiciousness. He showed great skill in all aspects of scholarship from an early age and excelled throughout his life in the practice and accomplishment of dharma. His power in visualization techniques and ability to actualize miraculous appearances is well known throughout Tibetan history. Longchenpa had many pure visions where he was given direct instructions from Guru Padmasambhava and many other wisdom deities. Recognized as an emanation of Vimalamitra, Longchenpas sharp acumen and prolific writings have made him one of Tibets most renowned and precious teachers.

TULKU THONDUP was born in East Tibet and was recognized to be a tulku at age five. He studied at Tibets famed Dodrupchen Monastery, settling in India in 1958 and teaching for many years in its universities. He came to the United States in 1980 as a visiting scholar at Harvard University. For the past three decades he has lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he writes, translates, and teaches under the auspices of the Buddhayana Foundation. His numerous books include The Healing Power of Mind, which has now been published in eighteen languages, and Boundless Healing, which has been published in eleven languages.

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The Practice of Dzogchen

Longchen Rabjams Writings on the Great Perfection

REVISED AND EXPANDED EDITION

INTRODUCED, TRANSLATED, AND ANNOTATED BY

Tulku Thondup

Edited by Harold Talbott

SNOW LION

BOSTON & LONDON

2014

Snow Lion

An imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Horticultural Hall

300 Massachusetts Avenue

Boston, Massachusetts 02115

www.shambhala.com

Cover art by Pema Namdol Thaye

1989, 1996, 2002, 2014 by Tulku Thondup

The Buddhayana Foundation Series: III

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

The Library of Congress catalogues the previous edition of this book as follows:

Klo-chen-pa Dri-med od-zer, 13081363.

The practice of Dzogchen / by Longchen Rabjampa; introduced, translated, and annotated by Tulku Thondup; edited by Harold Talbott.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

eISBN 978-0-8348-0013-7

ISBN 978-1-55939-054-5 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-55939-179-5 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-55939-434-5 (hardcover)

1. Rdzogs-chen (Ri-ma-pa)Early works to 1800. I. Thondup, Tulku. II. Talbott, Harold. III. Title.

BQ7662.4.K54357 1996

294.34dc20

95-50004

CIP

CONTENTS

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[Dzogpa Chenpo] is the path of luminous absorption, the essence of the ultimate definitive meaning,

And the summit of the teachings of sutras and tantras:

This is the meaning of the instructions on the Direct Approach

To the ultimate nature, the buddha-essence as it is.

LONGCHEN RABJAM

The essence of the discourses on the three doors of liberation

Given by the Victorious One in the second turning of the Dharma wheel is the very discriminative self-awareness

Which is present naturally in the nature of beings as the buddha-essence,

And that is known as Dzogpa Chenpo.

The entire meaning of the vast, excellent paths [of Buddhism]

Is only for cleansing the mind.

So the three precepts, six perfections, development and perfection stages, etc.

Are the steps to the path of Dzogpa Chenpo.

JIGMED LINGPA

The appearances are free from objective [entity], the intrinsic awareness is the liberation from primordial [time],