Nyoshul Khenpo - The Fearless Lions Roar: Profound Instructions on Dzogchen, the Great Perfection

Nyoshul Khenpo Jamyang Dorje was one of the most outstanding exponents of the Great PerfectionDzogpa Chenpoand an authority on every aspect of its history and practice. He was someone who embodied the blessings of the great masters of the lineage, especially the omniscient Longchen Rabjam and Jigme Lingpa, and his extraordinary oral teachings were marked by a vast knowledge, profound realization, and ever-present compassion. This book will provide inspiration and priceless guidance to all who seek to follow this precious path.

Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

Living the life of a hidden yogi, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche was a master of the teachings of sutra and mantra, in terms of both scholarship and spiritual accomplishment. His teachings are indeed a powerful treasure, yet to truly reap their benefit one must study them under the guidance of a qualified teacher who holds the lineage. At best, one should endeavor to receive the empowerments, reading transmissions, and oral instructions related to such profound teachings.

Chkyi Nyima Rinpoche, author of Present Fresh Wakefulness

Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche is one of the most highly realized Dzogchen practitioners of our times and the teacher of many of the rinpoches of the current generation. Born in Tibet and trained under the great masters of Tibet, he was an unusually gifted scholar. Following his studies, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoches approach was to receive a few key points of oral instruction from his teachers, and then go into the mountains to practice them. Until he gained exceptional experiential signs of the practice he had received thus far, Rinpoche would not return to his teachers for further instructions; and he practiced in this manner for a great many years. Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche would never speak falsely, and whatever he spoke or taught was authentic and based in his own experience. I feel so fortunate to have met Khen Rinpoche in this life, as Rinpoche is one of my root gurus, and I regard him very highly. I always miss him, and he is still alive in my heart. I received many Dzogchen teachings from him, which had an amazing benefit for my practice and helped me immensely. I recommend those with interest to read this book in order to receive Rinpoches blessings of wisdom and compassion, and I offer the deep wish that whoever reads this book will indeed receive Nyoshul Khen Rinpoches blessings.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche, author of Open Heart, Open Mind

Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche was one of the most extraordinary twentieth-century teachers of the Dzogchen lineage, widely acclaimed for his great wisdom and compassion. His commentaries form a step-by-step guide to the Nyingma teachings, starting from mind training (Longchenpas Immaculate Light) and leading up to and including Dzogchen (Jigme Lingpas The Lions Roar). I have firm confidence that new students as well as experienced practitioners who read this book will gain a much deeper understanding of the path and that the book will answer their questions about practice and life.

Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche

Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche is a true example of a dharma teacher and a genuine practitioner. When I met Rinpoche, I saw someone who was very genuine, very humble, very gentle, and at the same time, very diligent in his meditation practices. I never saw Rinpoche criticize any individual, school, or religion. His pure perception was so immense. I am very happy for anyone who reads this book. Please respect the book and read it very slowly. If you do, you will receive a never-ending shower of blessings from the enlightened ones, the masters of the Great Perfection.

Kyabgn Phakchok Rinpoche

ABOUT THE BOOK

This volume is a heartfelt, intimate presentation of the entire system of the Nyingma tradition from sutra to tantra to Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, and how through it, modern-day practitioners can succeed in attaining fully realized buddhahood. Inspiring stories of the great masters Longchenpa and Jigme Lingpa kindle the prerequisites of faith and devotion that are the basis for the practices that follow. The Tibetan Buddhist master Nyoshul Khenpo Jamyang Dorje gave these talks during a three-year retreat in France from 1982 to 1985.

NYOSHUL KHENPO JAMYANG DORJE (19321999) was one of the lineage holders in the Dzogchen tradition known as Longchen Nyingthig, the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, which descends from Longchen Rabjam and Jigme Lingpa. Born in Derge, East Tibet, he escaped to India in 1959. He trained many of the current generation of Dzogchen teachers, including Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Sogyal Rinpoche, and others.

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N YOSHUL K HENPO S THANGKA OF L ONGCHENPA WITH S AMANTABHADRA AND THE MASTERS OF THE L ONGCHEN N YINGTHIG D ZOGCHEN N YEN G YUD LINEAGE .
(P HOTO BY AUTHOR .)

The Fearless Lions Roar

Profound Instructions on Dzogchen, the Great Perfection

Nyoshul Khenpo Jamyang Dorje

With commentaries on Jigme Lingpas
The Lions Roar and Longchenpas
Resting at Ease in Illusion
TRANSLATED BY
David Christensen

S NOW L ION
BOSTON & LONDON
2015

Snow Lion

An imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc.

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2015 by David Christensen

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.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jam-dbyans-rdo-rje, Smyo-sul Mkhan-po, author.

The fearless lions roar: profound instructions on dzogchen, the great perfection/Nyoshul Khenpo Jamyang Dorje; translated by David Christensen.First edition.

pages cm.

Includes index.

Translated from Tibetan.

eISBN 978-0-8348-0019-9

ISBN 978-1-55939-431-4 (paperback)

1. Rdzogs-chen. I. Title.

BQ7662.4.J43 2015

294.3444dc23

Rest in natural great peace!

Your helpless mind, beaten back by karma,

thoughts, and emotions

Like incessant, pounding waves,

Here in the limitless ocean of samsara.

N YOSHUL K HEN R INPOCHE ,
R EST IN N ATURAL G REAT P EACE

C ONTENTS

P RINCE S IDDHARTHA attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree at Bodhgaya; he woke from the sleep of ignorance and was henceforth known as the Buddha, the Awakened One. He gave his first teachings at Sarnath, where he began guiding beings to their own awakening; and so it was that the Buddhist tradition came into being. In the eighth century of our era, when Buddhism was still flourishing in India, it was thanks to Guru Padmasambhava, King Trisong Detsen, the abbot Shantarakshita, pandita Vimalamitra, and other great masters, that the teachings were translated into the Tibetan language and were thus preserved.