Notes on Dzogchen according to Innermost Essence (Innermost Thigle; Wylie: snying thig) Etymology* Dzogchen (Wylie: rdzogs chen) contains Wylie words “rdzogs” which means “complete” or “total”, and “chen” which means “great”. According to Tibetan !ddhism o" the Ancient Tradition (Wy (Wylie: lie: rnying ma) Dzogchen is “complete” beca!se has one#s own $iew with !ni%!e terminology and practice with the complete res!lt. &t is “great” beca!se all 'ine anas anas (“$ehicles” to enlightenment) within Tibetan !ddhism are not “greater” b!t are steps to the realization o" its “total” meaning. The $iew is the ri mordial !rity (Wylie: (Wylie: *a da*) o" the asis (Wylie: (Wylie: gzhi) and +pontaneo!s Accomplishment Accomplishment (Wylie: (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) o" the Appearances o" the asis (Wylie: gzhi snang) "or +amsara and "or 'ir$ana. The practice is thoro!ghly c!tting thro!gh (Wylie: *hregs chod) the ind (Wylie: sems) to re$eal the $iew o" rimordial !rity (Wylie: (Wylie: *a da*), remain re main in it witho!t errors and directly cross o$er (Wylie: thod rgal) it bringing the realization o" +pontaneo!s Accomplishment Accomplishment (Wylie: lh!n gr!b). The complete res!lt is the ret!rn to riomordial !ddha (Wylie: (Wylie: *!n t! bzang po) with its Three"old -haracteristic. Terminology The *ey terms o" Dzogchen are the “o!th"!l ase ody” (Wylie: gzhon n! b!m s*!) and /igpa. The “o!th"!l ase ody” (Wylie: gzhon n! b!m s*!) is /igpa which is dwelling at the asis (Wylie: (Wylie: gzhi) as the t he Dharma*aya (riomordial !ddha, Wylie: Wylie: *!n t! bzang po) with its Three"old -haracteristic: 0primordially p!re (Wylie: *a da*) 1ssence (Wylie: ngo bo) not established as phenomena (the emptiness), 0spontaneo!sly accomplished (Wylie: (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) 'at!re (Wylie: (Wylie: rang bzhin) (the clarity), 0omnipresent ower (Wylie: rtsal) o" -ompassion (Wylie: (Wylie: th!gs r2e). &mportant is also a term the 3Appearances o" the asis” (Wylie: gzhi snang). “4a$ing bro*en” the “o!th"!l ase ody” (Wylie: gzhon n! b!m s*!) beca!se o" the 'at!re (Wylie: rang bzhin) o" /igpa arise the Appearances o" the asis (Wylie: (Wylie: gzhi snang) with the ower (Wylie: rtsal) to recognize them. The Appearances o" the asis (Wylie: gzhi snang) cease in themsel$es into rimordial !rity (Wylie: *a da*) o" Dharma*aya (riomordial !ddha, Wylie: Wylie: *!n t! bzang po) or i" they do not cease, they are spontaneo!sly accomplished (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) "or 'ir$ana with the "inal ret!rn also to Dharma*aya (riomordial !ddha, Wylie: Wylie: *!n t! bzang po). &" d!ring the mani"estation o" the Appearances o" the asis (Wylie: (Wylie: gzhi snang) there will be three"old 5nenlightenment
(Wylie: (Wylie: ma rig pa) this ca!ses the trans"ormation o" the Appearances o" the asis (Wylie: (Wylie: gzhi snang) "or +amsara according to "ollowing scheme: 0not recognizing the 1ssence (Wylie: ngo bo) o" the Appearances o" the asis, they are not ceased in themsel$es into rimordial !rity (Wylie: *a da*) o" Dharma*aya (riomordial !ddha, Wylie: Wylie: *!n t! bzang po) b!t the "irst 5nenlightnement (Wylie: (Wylie: ma rig pa) ta*es place. &t is made be"ore the ardo o" Dharmata (Wylie: chos nyid bar do) starts to mani"est6 0not recognizing the 'at!re (Wylie: rang bzhin) o" the Appearances o" the asis, they are not spontaneo!sly accomplished (Wylie: (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) "or 'ir$ana with the "inal ret!rn to Dharma*aya (riomordial !ddha, Wylie: Wylie: *!n t! bzang po) b!t the second 5nenlightenment (Wylie: ma rig pa) ta*es place. &t is made d!ring the mani"estation o" the ardo o" Dharmata (Wylie: chos nyid bar do)6 0ne7t arises the (d!alistic) ind (Wylie: sems) that apprehends the Appearances Appearances o" the asis (in "orms o" the "i$e lights o" "i$e wisdoms and the b!ddha0bodies "rom the ardo o" Dharmata) as other than an apprehender with their "inal trans"ormation into the "i$e elements (space, wind, "ire, water, earth) and the gross bodies o" +amsara in the ardo o" ecoming (Wylie: (Wylie: srid pa#i bar do) !ntil one ta*es a rebirth in one o" the si7 real ms o" +amsara according to the process o" 89 lin*s o" Dependent rigination. This third 5nenlightenment (Wylie: (Wylie: ma rig pa) ta*es place by not recognizing by the ower (Wylie: (Wylie: rtsal) the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) o" these Appearances o" the asis (Wylie: gzhi snang). The "inal ret!rn to Dharma*aya can be made d!ring "!rther mani"estation o" the ardo o" ecoming (Wylie: srid pa#i bar do) or d!ring one#s practice o" Dzogchen a"ter the rebirth in one o" the si7 realms o" +amsara. There are the 1ight odes o" Arising o" +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) "or 'ir$ana (complete enlightenment) and "or +amsara (rebirth in one o" the si7 realms): 8) as the ower (Wylie: rtsal) with the compassion towards sentient beings, 9) as the "i$e lights o" the "i$e wisdoms per$ading all appearances, ;) as the "i$e wisdoms in the state beyond tho!ghts, <) as the peace"!l and wrath"!l b!ddha0appearances per$ading the space, =) as the non0d!ality (Wylie: gnyis med) with no recognition as an apprehender and the apprehended, >) as the liberatation "rom e7tremes (de$iations "rom adhyama*a) "rom the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment Accomplishment (Wylie: lh!n gr!b), ?) as the door o" ristine Wisdom (Wylie: dag pa ye shes) o" 'ir$ana with the originally p!re appearances (o" 'ir$ana) appearing abo$e, @) as the door o" imp!re +amsara with the appearances o" si7 realms and its sentient beings appearing below. &t is called the reat +im!ltaneo!s Arising o" the Appearances o" +amsara and 'ir$ana. The terminology o" Dzogchen di""ers "rom -ittamatra
beca!se the rimordial !rity (Wylie: (Wylie: *a da*) o" the asis (Wylie: (Wylie: gzhi) and the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) o" the Appearances o" the asis (Wylie: gzhi snang) transcend the ind (Wylie: sems) and its mental e$ents incl!ding the d!ality between the apprehender and the apprehended. The ind (Wylie: sems) is associated only with the 1ight -onscio!snesses, which according to -ittamatra are the Blaya0conscio!sness, the direct conscio!sness and the si7 conscio!snesses o" senses. According According to terminology o" Dzogchen this ind (Wylie: sems) arises only d!ring the last third 5nenlightenment (Wylie: (Wylie: ma rig pa) which too* place only a"ter not spontaneo!sly accomplishing (Wylie: (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) the Appearances o" the asis (Wylie: gzhi snang) beca!se o" the second 5nenlightenment (Wylie: ma rig pa) and only a"ter not recognizing the ri mordial !rity (Wylie: (Wylie: *a da*) beca!se o" the "irst 5nenlightenment (Wylie: (Wylie: ma rig pa). Dzogchen terminology di""ers "rom adhyama*a theories beca!se the practice o" Dzogchen realizes the rimordial !rity (Wylie: (Wylie: *a da*) o" the asis (Wylie: (Wylie: gzhi) and per"ects the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) o" the Appearances o" the asis (Wylie: gzhi snang) directly and empirically "ree "rom discrimination, concept!ality and all e7tremes o" 'ihilism and 1ternalism. The !nion o" the rimordial !rity and the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment Accomplishment answers to the Transcendent Cnowledge (ra2naparamita) o" the 1mptiness (+!nyata) and orm (Appearances).
reat Trans"erence ody (Wylie: (Wylie: pho ba ch#en po) d!ring one#s own li"e. any practitioners o" Dzogchen who not realized Dharma*aya thro!gh Tre*chE d!ring the process o" one#s own death or not realized +ambhoga*aya thro!gh TEgal d!ring the ardo o" Dharmata can attain 'irmana*aya d!ring the ardo o" ecoming (Wylie: srid pa#i bar do) when the y will reborn in the !re Fands o" !ddhas or can choose in t he ardo o" ecoming the ne7t rebirth in the world where they will practice Dzogchen. There is need to the Three A!thentics (Wylie: tshad ldan gs!m) "or the &ntrod!ction in /igpa: 8) a!thentic empowerment o" the gen!ine master (Wylie: (Wylie: bla ma byin rlabs tshad ldan), 9) a!thentic de$otion (openness) o" the gen!ine st!dent (Wylie: (Wylie: slob ma mos g!s tshad t shad ldan), ;) a!thentic instr!ctions o" the gen!ine lineage (Wylie: (Wylie: brgy!d pa#i gdams ngag tshad ldan). Dzogchen is !ni%!e to the 4ighest oga Tantras beca!se o" practice o" TEgal (Wylie: thod rgal ) where the o!r Famps (with the light channels, the light drops, the nat!rally occ!rring wisdom) are !sed "or arising o" realizations o" the o!r isions isions with an e7perience similar to this a"ter death in the ardo o" Dharmata (Wylie: chos nyid bar do, the "irst l!mino!s intermediate state between one#s own death and the ne7t rebirth).
Practice and Result Whate$er is the ind (Wylie: sems) there is the 5nenlightenment (Wylie: (Wylie: ma rig pa). When /igpa becomes "ree "rom the ind (Wylie: sems) it is !sed d!ring the practice !ntil the er"ect 1nlightenment according to Dzogchen. The practice o" Tre*chE (Wylie: *hregs chod), a"ter “thoro!ghly c!tting thro!gh” the ind (Wylie: sems) by the &ntrod!ction in /igpa, re$eals the $iew o" rimordial !rity (Wylie: (Wylie: *a da*) beyond concept!al elaboration and beca!se o" a stability in it d!ring the process o" one#s own death one attains dissol!tion into Dharma*aya (riomordial !ddha, Wylie: Wylie: *!n t! bzang po), li*e many Dzogchen masters !ntil the present who mani"ested the /ainbow ody (Wylie: (Wylie: #2a l!s) be"ore the dissol!tion into Dharma*aya. The practice o" TEgal (Wylie: thod rgal ) a"ter a stability in rimordial !rity (Wylie: (Wylie: *a da*) directly “crosses o$er” it by the realization o" +pontaneo!s Accomplishment Accomplishment (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) thro!gh the o!r isions isions (Wylie: snang ba bzhi) that accord with the Three Ca yas ('irmana*aya, +ambhoga*aya, Dharma*aya) d!ring one#s own li"e or “crosses o$er” it a"ter the process o" one#s own death d!ring the ardo o" Dharmata (Wylie: chos nyid bar do) with a realization o" +ambhoga*aya. The per"ect stability in +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) leads to t he attainment o" the ody o" Fight Fi ght (Wylie: (Wylie: a#od ph!ng) in one#s own li"e and it wor*s as the reat Trans"erence ody (Wylie: pho ba ch#en po) "or the bene"it o" sentient beings. adhmasambha$a, imalamitra imalamitra and tibetan master -hets!n +enge Wangch!ng Wangch!ng beca!se o" attainment o" the ody o" Fight (Wylie: a#od ph!ng) thro!gh TEgal accomplished the
The o!r Famps (Wylie: sgron ma bzhi): 8) the "ar0reaching water lamp (Wylie: rgyang zhags ch! yi sgron ma) as a gateway that ca!ses the arising (the three other lamps) thro!gh the eyes (with the help o" the light channels, Wylie: #od rtsa), 9) the lamp o" t he basic space o" /igpa (Wylie: rig pa dbyings *yi sgron ma) as a gro!nd "or the arising o" the e7ternal (a space o" pro2ection "or the two "ollowing other lamps), ;) the lamp o" e mpty $ital essence spheres (Wylie: thig le stong pa#i sgron ma) as a s!pport (the shape o" colo!red light0 drops, Wylie: Wylie: thigle, that 2oin together or "orm gro!ps and which comes "orth inside the second la mp) that acti$ates the arising, <) the lamp o" nat!rall y occ!rring wisdom (Wylie: (Wylie: shes rab rang by!ng gi sgron ma) which is not act!ally “lighting !p” b!t is the nat!rally occ!rring wisdom itsel". The o!r isions (Wylie: (Wylie: snang ba bzhi): 8) Direct realization o" Dharmata Dhar mata itsel" (Wylie: (Wylie: chos nyid mngon s!m) when direct perception o" realit y opens the doors o" p!re realms (the $isions), 9) &ncreasing e7perience (Wylie: (Wylie: nyams gong Gphel ba) o" the $isions which res!lt in the 'irmana*aya, 'i rmana*aya, ;) /igpa reaching "!ll mat!rity (Wylie: rig pa tshad phebs) o" the $isions in the +ambhoga*aya, <) -ons!mmation o" Dharmata when e$en the "i7ation on reality will "all away and one will behold the $isions in the Dharma*aya (Wylie: (Wylie: chos nyid d! #dzin pa tsam yang zad pa). Atiyoga (Dzogchen &nnermost 1ssence) empowerments (initiations) don#t need to rely on the e7ample pristine awareness Hre$ealedI thro!gh the third initiation Ho" pristine awareness thro!gh wisdom6 li*e in 4ighest oga oga Tantras
which ha$e the "o!r: $ase, secret, and pristine awareness thro!gh wisdom, wordI. /ight "rom the start, %!ali"ied st!dents are con"erred the empowerment o" the creati$e energy o" total presence (Wylie: rig paJi rtsal dbang). 4ere there are "o!r empowerments which p!ri"y the obsc!rations o" body, body, speech, and mind, and the obsc!rations to omniscience6 and establish the potencies "or awa*ened body, speech, and mind, and nat!rally present l!mino!s clarity (/igpa). They empower Hthe st!dentI in the "o!r practices: the +tage o" eneration (Wylie: bs*yed rim), meditation on &nner 4eat (Wylie: gt!m mo), Tre*chE, TEgal. These empowerments represent "o!r di$isions within the "o!rth initiation. Altho!gh in n!mber they are e%!al to the common initiations o" highest yoga tantra, their meaning is di""erent. A person who has recei$ed the mantric $ows o" the "o!rth initiation in co mmon with the 4ighest oga oga Tantra Tantra will be ass!ming a new set o" $ows not pre$io!sly ta*en when a"ter recei$ed Atiyoga empowerments. &n Atiyoga (Dzogchen &nnermost 1ssence) there are two categories o" pledges (+amaya6 Wylie: dam tshig): (8) general pledges, and (9) e7ceptional pledges. eneral ledges (8) are the pledges o" the body, body, speech, and mind o" a b!ddha, each ha$ing three pledges on the o!ter, inner, and secret le$els (twenty se$en pledges). They deal with the practice o" !r! oga oga (Wylie: bla ma#i rnal #byor) and the common b!ddhist pledges: 'ot to steal6 'ot to engage in se7!al miscond!ct6 'ot to *ill6 'ot to lie6 'ot to slander others6 'ot to re$ile others6 'ot to be malicio!s6 'ot to be en$io!s6 'ot to hold wayward $iews. o!r 17ceptional ledges (9) are: The two"old pledge o" Tre*chE (Wylie: (Wylie: *hregs chod) in relation to the rimordial !rity (Wylie: *a dag) (9.8): (9.8.8) to liberate onesel" "rom grasping to the reality o" ongoing phenomena by realizing that, as ill!strated b y the eight similes o" ill!sion, e$erything that mani"ests is primordially non0e7istent6 (9.8.9) to liberate pro2ected appearances in the state o" reality by c!lti$ating /igpa not entangled in the tension o" grasping at an obser$er. The two"old pledge o" TEgal (Wylie: thod rgal ) in relation to the +pontaneo!s Accomplishment (Wylie: (Wylie: lh!n gr!b) (9.9): (9.9.8) to disengage onesel" "rom an o!ter spirit!al %!est thro!gh contin!o!s e7periential c!lti$ation o" The o!r isions (Wylie: snang ba bzhi) which are the mani"estation o" the HinnerI radiance o" the "i$eH0coloredI light6 (9.9.9) to arri$e in the -ons!mmation o" Dharmata thro!gh the con"ident realization that all occ!rrences and mani"estations are solely /igpa. KTony KTony D!"" 3Di""erentiating non0distraction and so "orth. An aspect o" training in thoro!gh c!t”, adma Carpo Translation -ommittee, Cathmand!, 9L88, p. &, &+' M?@MM;?ML;89?, e7plains: 3reat -ompletion is o"ten called “reat er"ection” in 1nglish b!t that presents an incorrect !nderstanding o" the name. The "inal space o" realization is not a state o" per"ection b!t one that contains both per"ection and imper"ection. The name is not intended to connect !s with the idea o" per"ection b!t with the idea o" the 2!nct!re o" all things per"ect and imper"ect, to the idea o" a state o" realization in which all things are complete. There is also the !na$oidable point that Fongchen /ab2amJJs /ab2amJJs de"initi$e e7planations in his re$ered te7t The Dharmadhat! Treas!ry
ma*e it clear beyond a do!bt that the meaning o" the name is reat -ompletion and not reat er"ection. 4e mentions in se$eral places that the point o" the name is the incl!sion 0 2!st as the original name "rom 5ddi yana states 3ahasandhi” 0 o" all dharmas within a single !ni%!e sphere o" wisdom. -ompletion in the name means that all phenomena are incl!ded at once in a single space o" realization. reat is !sed to disting!ish something *nown by wisdom in direct perception "rom the same thing *nown by d!alistic mind as a concept. Th!s reat -ompletion is not the completion !nderstood thro!gh the !se o" concept, b!t the greater $ersion o" that, the act!al state o" completion *nown thro!gh wisdom.” Resources 8. Fongchen /ab2am, T!l*! Thond!p: NThe ractice o" DzogchenN, +now Fion !blications, 9LL9, &+' 8==M;M8?ML. 9. OamgEn Congtr!l FodrE TayP, +arah 4arding: NThe Treas!ry o" Cnowledge: oo* 1ight, art o!r: 1soteric &nstr!ctions, A Detailed resentation o" the rocess o" editation in a2rayanaN, +now Fion !blications, 9LL?, &+' 8==M;M9@<;. ;. OamgEn Congtr!l FodrE TayP, 1lio !arisco, &ngrid cFeod: NThe Treas!ry o" Cnowledge: oo* +i7, art o!r: +ystems o" !ddhist TantraN, +now Fion !blications, 9LL=, &+' 8==M;M98LQ. <. OamgEn Congtr!l FodrE TayP: TayP: NThe Treas!ry o" Cnowledge: oo* ne: yriad WorldsN, WorldsN, +now Fion !blications, 9LL;, &+' 8==M;M8@@Q. =. OamgEn Congtr!l FodrE TayP: TayP: NThe Treas!ry o" Cnowledge: oo* i$e: !ddhist 1thicsN, +now Fion !blications, 9LL;, &+' M?@8==M;M8M8?. >. +ogyal /inpoche: NTibetan oo* o" Fi$ing and DyingN, 4arper-ollins !blishers, 8MM;, &+' M?@LL>9=L@;<@. ari!sz ant!r, 9L.LM.9L8L mari!szRmant!rSpoczta.onet.pl A dedication "rom 3The 17cellent ath o" Awa*ening” Awa*ening” by 44 D!d2om /inpoche Oigdral eshe Dor2e: „For all sentient beings, the Basis (Wylie: (Wylie: gzhi) of everything is the Spontaneous Accomplishment, upon hich the path arises as actual appearance! "ay the fruition be consummate# in the the Basis (Wylie: (Wylie: gzhi)!$