Dudjom Rinpoche - The Bountiful Cow of Accomplishments: Directives for the Two Phases of the Profound Path of the Khandro Thugthig

Yeshe Tsogyal (according to the Khandro Thugthig) Painted by Ngakpa Phuntsok Sangpo (Tsangpa Lhadri) According to the specifications of Dudjom Rinpoche

I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Lopon P. Ogyan Tanzin Rinpoche for his generosity and foresight in transmitting to his Western students texts such as that presented here, and for his precious help in clarifying certain points of the Tibetan. It is his vision that has inspired my work on this and related translations.

Nicolas Chong provided the initial impetus for this work through his interest and by preparing the first draft of the Tibetan input.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my wife Passang Dolma for preparing the design of the cover and for her unfailing support.

Dylan Esler

Institut Orientaliste

Universit Catholique de Louvain

The text presented here in Tibetan with English translation is the Bountiful Cow of Accomplishments and provides directives (khrid) for the two phases of the Khandro Thugthig. It covers the entirety of the Vajrayna path, from the generation phase (Skt. utpattikrama), through the completion phase (Skt. nipannakrama) to the Great Completeness (rDzogs-chen).

The Khandro Thugthig is an important cycle of teachings and practices revealed by our master Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987) as an intent treasure (dgongs-gter). Among the three roots of tantric practice, it specially relates to the sky-farer (Skt. kin). The sky-farer assumes several guises: outwardly she is Yeshe Tsogyal, inwardly Kurukulle, secretly Sihamukh and ultra secretly Trma Nagmo. The directives translated here are most closely associated with Yeshe Tsogyal, the Tibetan princess who became the consort of the great master Padmasambhava and assisted him when in the eighth century he introduced tantric Buddhism to Tibet. But Yeshe Tsogyal is more than a historical figure, for she is a wisdom sky-farer who inspires yogins to realize the ultimate nature of mind.

The colophon of our text informs us that it was written in 1942, when Dudjom Rinpoche was in his thirty-ninth year. Like the whole of the Khandro Thugthig cycle, it was written at Trulzhik Dorjes request. The latter was joined in his exhortations by Orgyan Sangngak Tenzin and Tsewang Rigdzin Nampar Gyalw D.

If we look at the structure of the present text, we can see that it is divided into four yogas. The first is the common yoga of shape, which pertains to the generation phase and to the vase empowerment. Here the practitioner generates the vivid presence of the deity, in this case Yeshe Tsogyal, transforming his ordinary perception into pure vision. He comes to identify with Yeshe Tsogyal and to see his environment as a seraphic mansion.

The second is the profound yoga of mantra: it represents the entry into the completion phase and pertains to the secret empowerment. By learning to control ones breath and to practise the adamantine repetition, one is able to attain longevity and to retain ones vigour into old age. Furthermore, by controlling the inner air, one is eventually able to control the external air element as well.

The third is the special yoga of bliss: it represents the completion phase with signs and pertains to the sapience-wisdom empowerment. It includes the practice of the ferocious heat (gtum-mo) along with its five ancillary principles, as well as the practice of sexual yoga with a consort. Through these practices, the adept is able to gain a direct experience of the minds luminosity by utilizing bliss as the path.

Finally there comes the ultimate yoga of wisdom: it corresponds to the completion phase without signs and pertains to the fourth empowerment, the precious word empowerment. Here we are dealing with the unique methods of the Great Completeness (rDzogs-chen), called breakthrough (khregs-chod) and crossover (thod-rgal), through which the practitioner comes face to face with the true nature of his mind, intrinsic awareness.

It should be emphasized that it is quite uncommon for instructions such as these to be published. We will say more on this below. For now, let those readers who are sincerely interested in these teachings and who wish to put them into practice rejoice that such profound instructions have been made available to them.

My student, the Lotspa Dylan Esler, has over several years translated many texts of the Nyingma school under my guidance. He has brought intelligence, as well great care and diligence to his work. After producing a first translation, Mr Esler checked with me the difficult points in the text, clarifying the meaning and polishing the translation over time. We have also, where possible, sought to identify the quotations that Dudjom Rinpoche provides in his text.

During the present degenerate age (Skt. kaliyuga), when sentient beings afflictions are rampant, the Nyingma Buddhist doctrines of the higher tantras, i.e. Mahyoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga, are particularly apt to transform and liberate the five poisons into five wisdoms.

However, because these doctrines are considered secret, our intention in publishing them may be questioned.

Because of the particular conditions of this age, many contemporaries have developed an inordinate curiosity for everything that is somehow esoteric, even when they are the least qualified for this type of study and practice. This has meant that, when it comes to the Vajrayna, all kinds of aberrations and misunderstandings abound. An important step to counteract such wrong views is to provide reliable editions and translations of authoritative texts of the Nyingma tradition. Furthermore, because of Dudjom Rinpoches special blessing power for the present time, his lineage in particular has the potential to dispel the darkness of confusion and to conquer the demon of ego-grasping. For those who have a karmic connection with this tradition and this lineage, these texts will be the basis for their spiritual development.

According to the Vajrayna, sentient beings are primordially fully enlightened Buddhas. To become aware of ones inborn awakening depends on individual capacity and interdependent connection; for some, this may take place gradually, for others instantaneously. In any case, who are we to judge anothers capacity and to prevent his or her awakening by jealously concealing these profound texts?

Though I may not hold the bone lineage of Dudjom Rinpoche, many years ago I had certain dreams and signs that clearly indicated that my work would be of service to the Dudjom lineage. This has been the inspiration behind my work; though I also hold the lineage of Jigme Lingpa and the bone lineage of Pema Lingpa, my efforts have focused on the preservation and propagation of the Dudjom Tersar lineage. I see the publication of this text and the work of Khyeu-chung Lotspa Translations as a fulfilment of those indications.