SIX LAMPS

Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

sgron-ma drug - the 6 lamps (aspects of light in Thodgal)

'phro-ba - to emanate, to project, to diffuse, to proliferate

sgra 'od zer - sounds, lights, and rays

dkar cha - white essence

dkar lam - whiteness experience

dkar 'jam rtsa'i sgron-ma - the lamp of the smooth white nerve

SIX LAMPS......"Everything that arises as manifest phenomena, consisting of

sounds, lights, and rays (sgra 'od zer gsum), whether as pure vision or as impure
karmic vision, is part of one's own potentiality (rang rtsal), the manifesting of the
energy of one's intrinsic Awareness (rig-pa'i rtsal) in external space (phyi dbyings).
This energy, in the form of light, originates in the physical heart (tsit ta)of the
individual. From the interior space within the heart this inner light (nang 'od,
Sanskrit: antarayotih) proceeds upward through a translucent channel called the
Kati, or smooth white nerve (dkar 'jam stsa) and then exits the body by way of the
gateway of the physical eyes....This internal luminosity, projected outside the
heart, manifests in external space as something apparently real and substantial,
like a cinema show projected onto a great screen surrounding the individual. One
then becomes lost in the fascinating display of the show, as if one were caught up
in a dream where everything seems objective, solid and real....The individual
wanders around in circles, becoming lost in this projection....Thus one comes to
live in one's projections and not in their source. This process of projection
('phro-ba) is described in terms of SIX LAMPS or lights (sgron-ma drug):

1. Lamp of the dimension of Awareness (rigpe dbyings kyi sgron-ma)

2. Lamp of the flesh-like heart (tsit ta sha'i sgron-ma)

3. Lamp of the smooth white nerve (dkar 'jam stsa'i sgron ma)

4. Lamp of the water (globelike eye) that lassos everything at a distance (rgyang
zhags chu'i sgron-ma)

5. Lamp of the empty tiny spheres of light (thig-le stong-pa'i sgron-ma)

6. Lamp of self-originated wisdom (shes-rab rang-byung gi sgron-ma)

From: The Second Statement of Garab Dorje...."In the state of immediate

Awareness one directly discovers that all of one's final visions (the tiny spheres of
rainbow light) are actually arising from within oneself."......John Myrdhin
Reynolds....'The Golden Letters'....Page 157

The second aspect to the Togel practice, the six lamps, the main part of the Togel
practice. The six lamps are the training or familiarization to achieve liberation at
the time of death in the bardo of dharmata. Through the familiarization with
these practices in this lifetime the present bardo, the practitioner with the ability
of some recognition of his or her minds nature, can gain the ability not to be
overwhelmed by the appearances during the bardo of dying. This recognition is
what is known as the merging of the luminosity of mother and child; their
previous recognition will mix with their identification of it. The mother is the
luminosity of the ground which is recognized and the child is the experience of
dharmata which one previously cultivated.

Namo Buddha Publications © Thrangu Rinpoche

The Four Tögel Visions

are known as the "four visions of tögel", these are:

the visionary experience of absolute reality

the increase and intensification of visionary experience

the ripening of rigpa awareness to its fullness

the final consummation and exhaustion of phenomena

The first of the four stages occurs when vision begins to arise and we have direct
insight into the nature of reality. This experience corresponds to realization of the
Sutric path of accumulation. The second stage occurs when the arising vision
approaches development and we have more experience. This corresponds to the
path of endeavour. The third stage is the development and ripening to perfection
of awareness of vision and corresponds to the path of seeing and the path of
meditation. Finally, the fourth vision, which corresponds to the path of no more
training, is the stage of complete vision. Here, on the dissolution of illusory
phenomena, we integrate completely with the vision of totality.

More specifically, during the first stage there are two lights, one internal and one
external. When we start to practice, we feel as if a light were coming out of us.
Here the symbol of the light is the "tigle of the rigpa of the color of glass", which
means one feels as if one were looking through the bottom of a glass. The tigles
are very luminous and can vary in size; the smallest can be the size of a pea,
others can be much bigger. Also many tigles can appear joined together in various
ways, horizontally, vertically, etc., forming strands or chains, in which case they
are called the "thread of compassion" or the "silver thread" as they are white and
luminous and resemble silver. There are no limits to the possibilities of vision.

At times the colors appear separately, first red, then blue, white, etc.; at other
times symbols appear with visions reflected inside them. Often these visions are
fluctuating, like a lightning flash that disappears when we look at it. Sometimes
we can see a whole city; sometimes an entire country complete with mountains
can appear in a small tigle. But we should not be surprised at this since we can
see many big things with our small eyes. At times when we look at the vision that
arises, it disappears immediately, or it can remain a very short time and then
disappear, like in a video game. It is difficult to define or explain, we can see many
things in many different ways.
This first stage is the foundation, the basis, in which the rays, lights, tigles, and
threads of tigles never remain still in one place. They are like a waterfall pouring
down from a very high mountain or like drops of quicksilver that are constantly
moving. Everything moves at this stage. When the inner movement manifests
while we are practicing in the state of presence, we may very well begin by
looking in one direction and finish looking in another. This is not like gazing at a
still object with the eyes fixed on one point in space as in zhine practice. It is
described as being like a mirror and an arrow; when the movement is very fast
and difficult to stop, it is difficult to even understand what is moving. At times it
seems it is the vision that is moving, at other times we might think it is our eyes,
or that the movement is internal, the inner energy of rigpa. In fact, in tögel
everything is connected:external vision, the eyes,and the internal energy, and in
the first stage everything moves together. But it is important to understand that
once presence is adequately stable we can stop the movement. This is what is
described as "catching the fish in the net of darkness," fixing the movement
through stable presence.

At this point the presence concentrates in a single point and the inner experience
becomes pure and clear, without movement. We remain in the union of
emptiness and the clear rigpa, the mother and the son are united and happy.
|This gives rise to a particular joy, and at this point our consideration of having
limited sessions of practice finishes so there is no longer any gap between
practice and nonpractice. The end of the first stage corresponds to the third or
fourth day of the lunar month, when the moon is starting to wax.

At the second stage, vision begins to develop. At first we might see clear light in
all directions, see everything as light. Then we start to distinguish the rigpa tigles,
as now we have a closer and more precise experience of the elements, even
though they are not yet under full control. In the second sage the elements are
balanced, so now what appears in the visions is completely different: we see the
five lights, tigles, round rainbows, and lights in the form of tents. The visions are
very pure and clear.

The best and easiest way to develop these visions is to do a dark retreat, or do
practice looking at the rays of the sun ( but not directly at the sun ) at sunrise or
sunset, holding the hands so that the fingers filter the rays of light, to make a
connection between the inner light and the outer light. When we observe the
outer rays in this way while in the state of presence, these rays act as secondary
causes to produce the projections of the inner light onto the palm of the hand. At
the beginning we do not see much, but then vision develops and in this way it
becomes very easy to see the lights. Other ways are to practice looking, at the
rays of light coming through window shutters, or sitting on a mountain an looking
at the point where mountain and space meet. One advantage of the dark retreat
is that we can practice without any requirements ( such as rays of the sun ) or
distractions from the outside world, so it is easier to integrate.

When the movement stops, we must try to concentrate more.

In the third stage the visions may be stable and still, or they may move. Different
syllables or parts of the body may appers and visions of Buddhas and mandalas
arise. There is no longer any difference between external visions and internal
experiences, subject and object, nirvana and samsara in this empty reality.

Tögel teachings inthe Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud describe the clear light and
naturally arising visions, as well as how these arise and how these are brought
into the path. These visions, which are of luminous points or seeds of light and of
webs of light in configurations of Buddhas, mandalas and so forth, are formed
from the inherent structure of light, the energy expression of the clarity of the
primordial state. Specific tögel practices include the dark retreat in which we
spend time practicing in complete darkness, or gazing at the sun, at the moon, or
into the sky. All these techniques are used to make it possible for visions
spontaneously to arise from the recesses within our mind. We then work with
these.

FIVE GAZES ARE USED TO ENHANCE VISION IN TÖGEL:

the wrathful gaze, with the eyes turned upwards, is useful if we are feeling
drowsy

the peaceful gaze, with the eyes turned downwards, is useful if our mind is too
agitated

the bodhisattva gaze, with the eyes looking straight forward, is used when the
mind is calm

the gaze of method, with the eyes turned to the right, develops method

the gaze of wisdom, with the eyes turned to the left, develops wisdom

Three further types of gaze used in tögel practice are: the wheel gaze, the lion
gaze, the secret gaze.

Mandalas, tigles (points of luminous light), white points, circular rainbows,images

of Buddhas, deities, and Buddha dimensions all may manifest. They are the
natural manifestations of our Sambhogakaya and arise through the wisdom
channel that links our heart with our eyes. When these arise the practice is
intermittent, like the sun seen through clouds: at times we are in the state of
presence, at other times we follow the lights. At times it seems we are practicing,
at other times not, so many doubts can arise that we have to clear up with our
master.

In this way we come to experience directly and know the seeds that are the base
or origin of pure visions, which are like the stars in space. When we start to
practice tögel, the movement is more intense. It is like unveiling a multicolored
Chinese silk: suddenly we see many colors in space, like seeing rainbows
everywhere.This is the main vision, the base of five colored lights, from which all
visions arise. This is the importance of the five lights, which give rise to nirvana
and samsara.

Working with the movement of light in tögel practice is easier than working with
the solid objects we see and sounds we hear normally in everyday life, things with
which we are already familiar. The tögel visions arise as the outer manifestation
of inner experiences.

Different names are given to the different visions. For example, the "fish of the
rays in movement" refers to the movement of the visions and describes visions as
moving in the same way a fish moves in waves of water. The text explains that we
must try to "catch the fish of the rays in movement in the net of darkness" and
describes the "dart" state of presence that we must shoot at the target, which in
this case is the fish. Vision is the fish and the dart; the instrument for capturing it
is presence.

Öd-nga The Five Pure Lights

From the five pure lights of the natural mind arise The unchanging dimension of
the body, the unceasing pure manifestation of speech, and the undiluted
enlightened mind.

The Clear Light

The pure state of the mind, the base of Buddhahood, has a quality of clear light,
which develops into the pure light of the natural state. This light is "rainbow
light", not material light. It is the natural energy of the primordial state and the
cause of samsara and nirvana. Through the movement of this pure light, which is
the inner rigpa energy in the dimension of the primordial base, the five pure lights
develop and begin to appear.

The pure lights of the five colors constitute the second step in the production of
existence, they are the source of the five elements that are the underlying
structure of both the external existence of the world and the internal existence of
the individual.

This clear light energy resides in the heart, rises through the channels, and is
projected through the eyes. It is the basis of all vision and moves from the inner
to the outer dimension.

According to the traditional explanation, external existence is constituted by the

world in its function of outer mandala or "container" of the individual. The
internal existence of the self or individual is divided into internal, external, and
secret.

The external existence of the individual consists of the five sense objects
perceived by the five sense consciousnesses. Internal existence is the sixth sense
consciousnesses, the mind, together with proprioception or the inner
consciousness of the body. Secret existence is the movement of thoughts.

In the true condition there is no distinction between internal and external since
the same empty space gives rise to internal and external existence alike, just as
the air inside and outside a jar is the same.

Two Dzogchen Teachings on the FiveLights

Union of the Four Chakras

Mirror of the Luminous Mind

The "Union of the Four Chakras"

The first chakra is the chakra, or wheel, of the primordial base. Unless we
understand the chakra of the primordial base, we cannot understand how the
three dimensions of realization (kayas) are perfected in the primordial base and
so cannot obtain realization. The second chakra is the wheel of realization and
illusion. Unless we understand this chakra , we cannot realize how samsara and
nirvana are perfected in the primordial state, how samsara originates from
distraction by delusory thoughts and nirvana arises from correct preception. The
third chakra is the wheel of the points of the body, veins, channels, and energy
centers. Unless we understand how the points in the physical body are related,
we cannot obtain realization in this particular body and achieve liberation in this
very lifetime. The fourth chakra is the wheel of the intermediate state. Unless we
understand this, we cannot maintain presence after death and realization in the
clear light bardo.

Vision and objective reality

In daily life we see forms, hear sounds, and generally perceive external reality and
objects through our senses. If we perceive these with awareness, present in the
inseparability of emptiness and clarity, we see them as our own manifestation. as
the self-manifestation of the energy of our primordial state. It is very good for a
tögel dark retreat.

It is crucial to distinguish between following visions and accepting but not

following after them. Accepting them means allowing them to arise and observing
them without attachment or aversion.

In this way it is possible to recognize outer reality as ultimately our own

projection, thereby uniting "inner" vision and "outer" objective reality, we
develop inner wisdom. What is important is not the content or form, but how we
observe it. It is very important to obtain this realization in the dark retreat in
order to learn how to recognize the visions of the peaceful and wrathful deities
that arise as our own projections in the bardo. If we recognize the vision of the
five pure lights, the process of nirvana begins.

When vision is an obstacle, be careful,

When vision becomes your friend, liberate yourself,

Then everything becomes a benefit to your practice.

When you act according to crazy wisdom,

You are a real vessel of the Dzogchen teaching.

This is arriving in the gold dimension.

There are no activities to accept or reject. This is the ultimate way to relate with
energy in terms of the variety of experience.

Dark retreat - Secret place of sound

Another practice is to block our ears for a week, until a loud inner sound starts
to arise. Then we can integrate with the sound of an element or combine the
practice with light by pressing the eyes, in order to enter into a state of
self-presence. This is called the "secret place of sound" or the "sound of rigpa".

very good for dark retreat - integrate sound and vision

we begin by holding our breath , then we release the breath and remain present

Through our experience of the presence that remains after releasing the breath,
we understand presence in purposeful tension and the difference between
presence and this tension, so that we can apply presence outside the situation of
the deliberate intentions we have during a practice session

Sound, Light and Rays in Practice

block ears with fingers and we hear the natural self-sound = connection between
sound and emptiness

close eyes and press eyeballs slightly with fingers so that we see the natural,
self-arising light - this is the inner light. When we project the light outwards, it
manifests as the visible forms (houses, people), what we see.

looking at the sun

gazing into the natural

doing the dark retreat

Dzogchen as Body, Voice, Mind, Qualities and Activities. Norbu, et.al. (August 10,
2001) related that:

“Everyone has the condition, which is called body, speech and mind. Body means
the physical level, which we can touch and see. When we say our voice or speech.
That means our energy level. Why do we use speech or voice? Because voice or
speech is sound. When we say speech or voice we produce that sound through
our air, our breath. Our breathing is related to our prana, our vital energy. So why
then is sound important? Because when we speak of our real nature [*2], the
source of everything is how sound manifests from emptiness.

What we firstly manifest is sound and sound manifests light and rays. These three
are called our primordial potentiality. Sound doesn’t mean ordinary sound, what
we hear with our ears. When we speak of sound immediately we think of that.
That is outer sound, which we can hear with our ears. There is also inner sound
we can feel only through vibrations; we don’t need ears for hearing or discovering
inner sound. Still more important is secret sound. Secret sound we discover only
when we discover our real nature. When we discover our real nature and how it is
related with this energy and how it manifests, then we discover secret sound. We
can’t discover secret sound with vibrations, so for that reason we say speech or
voice instead of saying our energy level. The mind is easy to understand. Mind is
what we always use to think and judge.”

Five Pure Lights

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject.
Please help improve the article with a good introductory style.

The Five Pure Lights (Tibetan: 'od lnga) is an essential teaching in the Dzogchen
tradition of Bön and Tibetan Buddhism. For the deluded, matter seems to appear.
This is due to non-recognition of the five lights. Matter includes the mahābhūta or
classical elements, namely: space, air, water, fire, earth. Knowledge (rigpa) is the
absence of delusion regarding the display of the five lights. This level of realization
is called rainbow body.

Basis (gzhi)

In the basis (Tibetan: གཞི, Wylie: gzhi) there were neutral awarenesses (sh shes pa
lung ma bstan) that did not recognize themselves. (Dzogchen texts actually do not
distinguish whether this neutral awareness is one or multiple.) This
non-recognition was the innate ignorance. Due to traces of action and affliction
from a previous universe, the basis became stirred and the Five Pure Lights shone
out. When a neutral awareness recognized the lights as its own display, that was
Samantabhadra (immediate liberation without the performance of virtue). Other
neutral awarenesses did not recognize the lights as their own display, and thus
imputed “other” onto the lights. This imputation of “self” and “other” was the
imputing ignorance. This ignorance started sentient beings and samsara (even
without non-virtue having been committed). Yet everything is illusory, since the
basis never displays as anything other than the five lights.

For the deluded, matter seems to appear. This is due to non-recognition of the
five lights. Matter includes the mahābhūta or classical elements, namely: space,
air, water, fire, earth. The illusion of matter includes even the formless realms and
the minds of sentient beings. For example, the beings of the formless realms are
made of subtle matter. And the mind of a human is merely matter, specifically
vayu (wind, air).

The Five Pure Lights are essentially the Five Wisdoms (Sanskrit: pañca-jñāna).
Tenzin Wangyal holds that the Five Pure Lights become the Five Poisons if we
remain deluded, or the Five Wisdoms and the Five Buddha Families if we
recognize their purity.

In the Bonpo Dzochen tradition, the Five Pure Lights are discussed in the Zhang
Zhung Nyan Gyud and within this auspice two texts in particular go into detail on
them as The Six Lamps (Tibetan: སྒྲོན་མ་དྲུག་, Wylie: sgron ma drug) and The Mirror of
the Luminous Mind (Tibetan: འྒྲོད་གསལ་སེམས་ཀི་མེ་ལྒྲོང་, Wylie: 'od gsal sems kyi me long).

Texts

The Five Pure Lights are also evident in the terma traditions of the Bardo Thodol
(Gyurme, et al. 2005) where they are the "coloured lights" of the bardo for
example, associated with the different "families" (Sanskrit: gotra) of deities. There
are other evocations of the rainbow lights as well in the Bardo Thodol literature
such as Namkha Chokyi Gyatso (1806-1821?), the 3rd Dzogchen Ponlop's
"Supplement to the Teaching revealing the Natural Expression of Virtue and
Negativity in the Intermediate State of Rebirth", entitled Gong of Divine Melody
(Tibetan: སཏིད་པའི་བར་དྒྲོའ་ི ངྒྲོ་སྒྲོད་དགེ་སིག་རང་གཟུགས་སྒྲོན་པའི་ལྷན་ཐབས་དབྱངས་སྙན་ལྷའི་བཎཌི, Wylie: strid pa'i bar
do'i ngo sprod dge sdig rang gzugs ston pa'i lhan thabs dbyangs snyan lha'i
gaND-I[4]), wherein the "mandala of spiralling rainbow lights" Gyurme et al.
(2005: p. 339) is associated with Prahevajra. Dudjom, et al. (1991: p. 337) ground
the signification of the "mandala of spiralling lights" (Tibetan: འཇྒྲོའ་འྒྲོད་འཁིལ་བའི་དཀིལ་བཧྒྲོར,
Wylie: 'ja' 'od 'khil ba'i dkyil khor) as seminal to the visionary realization of tögal.
William Wordsworth

THE PILGRIM'S DREAM

OR, THE STAR AND THE GLOW-WORM

I distinctly recollect the evening when these verses were suggested in 1818. It was
on the road between Rydal and Grasmere, where Glow-worms abound. A Star
was shining above the ridge of Loughrigg Fell, just opposite. I remember a critic, in
some review or other, crying out against this piece. "What so monstrous," said he,
"as to make a star talk to a glow-worm!" Poor fellow! we know from this sage
observation what the "primrose on the river's brim was to him."

A PILGRIM, when the summer day

Had closed upon his weary way,

A lodging begged beneath a castle's roof;

But him the haughty Warder spurned;

And from the gate the Pilgrim turned,

To seek such covert as the field

Or heath-besprinkled copse might yield,

Or lofty wood, shower-proof.

He paced along; and, pensively,

Halting beneath a shady tree,

Whose moss-grown root might serve for couch or seat,

Fixed on a Star his upward eye;

Then, from the tenant of the sky

He turned, and watched with kindred look,

A Glow-worm, in a dusky nook,

Apparent at his feet.

The murmur of a neighbouring stream

Induced a soft and slumbrous dream,

A pregnant dream, within whose shadowy bounds

He recognised the earth-born Star,

And 'That' which glittered from afar;

And (strange to witness!) from the frame

Of the ethereal Orb, there came

Intelligible sounds.

Much did it taunt the humble Light

That now, when day was fled, and night

Hushed the dark earth, fast closing weary eyes,

A very reptile could presume

To show her taper in the gloom,

As if in rivalship with One

Who sate a ruler on his throne

Erected in the skies.

"Exalted Star!" the Worm replied,

"Abate this unbecoming pride,

Or with a less uneasy lustre shine;

Thou shrink'st as momently thy rays

Are mastered by the breathing haze;

While neither mist, nor thickest cloud

That shapes in heaven its murky shroud,

Hath power to injure mine.

But not for this do I aspire

To match the spark of local fire,

That at my will burns on the dewy lawn,

With thy acknowledged glories;--No!

Yet, thus upbraided, I may show

What favours do attend me here,

Till, like thyself, I disappear

Before the purple dawn."

When this in modest guise was said,

Across the welkin seemed to spread

A boding sound--for aught but sleep unfit!

Hills quaked, the rivers backward ran;

That Star, so proud of late, looked wan;

And reeled with visionary stir

In the blue depth, like Lucifer

Cast headlong to the pit!

Fire raged: and, when the spangled floor

Of ancient ether was no more,

New heavens succeeded, by the dream brought forth:

And all the happy Souls that rode

Transfigured through that fresh abode,

Had heretofore, in humble trust,

Shone meekly 'mid their native dust,

The Glow-worms of the earth!

This knowledge, from an Angel's voice

Proceeding, made the heart rejoice

Of Him who slept upon the open lea:

Waking at morn he murmured not;

And, till life's journey closed, the spot

Was to the Pilgrim's soul endeared,

Where by that dream he had been cheered

Beneath the shady tree.

The Three Unreasonable Points of Dzogchen

The Sutra Of Including All Phenomena In Bodhicitta, The Great Perfection states:

The three unreasonable points explained to be reasonable:

the full awakening that does not come from the mind

is an unreasonable point that is explained to be reasonable.

The result that does not come from a cause

is an unreasonable point that is explained to be reasonable.

The intimate instruction that does not come from scripture

is an unreasonable point that is explained to be reasonable.

If it is asked how that is so:

the full awakening that does not come from the mind is

is the dimension of [bodhi]citta itself in the space of dharmatā.

The result that does not come from a cause is

the bodhicitta result.

The intimate instruction that does not come from scripture is

the meaning of dharmatā bodhicitta.

The fortunate emanated person's

knowledge and understanding of just how that is

is the intimate instruction that does not come from scripture.

Also these three reasonings of the unreasonable points

are reasonable when explained through intimate instructions.

Trekchö - Kadag - Dharmakaya - Thigle - Essence - Sounds

Thögal - Lhungrub - Sambhogakaya - Lung - Nature - Lights

Yermed - Thug rJe - Nirmanakaya - rTsa - Energy - Rays

samapatti; viśhuddhi, dharmakāya,tilaka/bindu, svabhāva, śabda

xxxxx ; nirabhogana/anabhogana, sambhogakāya, vāyu, prakriti, ābhāsvarāḥ,

prabhā

asaṁbhedaḥ, karuna, nirmanakāya, nāḍī, kāra, raśmi

Seventeen Tantras of Ati Yoga Dzogchen Upadesha ...."explanation about

sound/light/rays as written also in the Bardo prayer by Guru
Padmasambhava.Rinpoche expained :

“The Base means three primordial wisdoms : essence,nature,

energy…Sound/light/rays = potentiality . Khadak = primordial purity of voidness +
potentiality/Lhundrup… Dzogchen is called Atiyoga… Ati = primordial state. ..
Contemplation in Atiyoga is practiced with open eyes, because seeing is ornament
of natural state.” Rinpoche also taught Upadesha of six qualifications :

1.the Base is primordialy pure (Khadak), manifesting potentiality (Lhundrup)

2.be at ease in the Base (Shi or Xi)

3.Lhundrup (potentiality) manifests as wisdom

4.Dharmakaya manifestations are five Wisdom lights

5.naturaly liberated state is instant presence, primordialy pure

6.our real nature (instant presence) is Dharmakaya. Inner clarity (nang-tsal) is like
the lamp in the vase, not shining outside. Adzom Drukpa used explanation of
thing-tsal : deep clarity (the same meaning as nang-tsal).

This deep clarity is Samantabhadra Buddha of dark blue light. His consort
Samantabhadri is light blue/white light. From them infinite lights shine,
manifesting 42 peaceful and 58 wrathful manifestations of Sambhogakaya.
Rinpoche explained about three primordial potentialities : Sound/Light/Rays .
There is outer sound, inner sound and secret Sound. In Atiyoga instant presence
means presence of secret Sound which is state of Dzogchen. ..."

Rainbow Body

Transcription of an Oral Teaching in Barcelona Spain

October 3, 2010 by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

Then there is another way of seeing energy, for example when we do Vajrayana
practice. We close our eyes, think everything is emptiness and gradually the
elements develop and our dimension becomes like the pure dimension of the
mandala. Everything develops with the five colours of the elements. Then our
manifestation of the deity develops at the centre of the mandala and we have a
very precise idea of what it looks like.

We do this visualisation with our mind but when we open our eyes, we cannot
see the mandala or elements like lights, we can see ordinary vision because we
are only doing that visualisation in our dimension. When we develop it, we use
channels, chakras, aspects related to our physical body, and with prana energy,
with kundalini energy we gradually coordinate this transformation with our
existence and integrate it at the end with the mantra of the practice. This is called
the Accomplishment Stage. When we do the visualisation with closed eyes this is
called the Development Stage, which is developed internally.

Finally we can have the realisation of being in the state of Mahamudra, that
means no longer remaining in the dualistic state with these two stages. In
Vajrayana, that is called realisation. So you see how we develop everything with
symbols, such as mandalas, deities etc., which are developed internally, within
our dimension.

Rolpa

An example of this is a mirror: if there is a small mirror, reflections of gigantic

mountains can manifest in it and we can even see the size and colour of the
reflections very precisely. This breaks our limitations. In general we have the
limitations of the material world, so that if there is a small box, we cannot put a
gigantic thing inside it because it is small. We live in this type of dualistic vision
and we have these kinds of strict limitations. But when we have a small mirror
and we can see a gigantic mountain in it, this is an example of how we can break
these kinds of limitations. Infinite kinds of manifestations always manifest inside
the mirror, not outside, just as all Vajrayana transformations manifest inside us,
not outside. This way of manifesting energy is called rolpa, and this is the
characteristic of this type of energy. We cannot translate these kinds of [words to
describe] energy so we use and learn the Tibetan words, otherwise if we use a
translation, the meaning is limited and doesn’t correspond. Rolpa is more related
to our energy level and when we speak about our three existences we say ‘voice’.

Tsal

Then there is the energy of the aspect of the material level, which is called tsal.
How does it manifest and what is its characteristic? We have infinite potentiality,
and when it manifests like subject and object, we do not know that it is our real
potentiality manifesting and immediately fall into dualistic vision and think that
we are seeing something very nice. Many people say that when they were very
young they often had fantastic visions like lights etc., but later on they didn’t
manifest any more. Some people have even asked me for methods in order to
have those visions again. I understand very well what it means because everybody
has infinite potentiality from the beginning. That is our real nature. Our
potentiality can manifest when there are secondary causes, however secondary
causes do not always exist or manifest. Sometimes in our lifetime some secondary
causes manifest and in that moment we can have something like fantastic visions.
But we immediately fall into dualistic vision – “Oh, how nice! I can see this light,
this form” – that blocks [the visions] and they no longer repeat. This is the reason
why we have these kinds of visions.

What should we do in order to have these kinds of visions again? We should

understand the way I explained chönyi ngön sum visions. We know that these
kinds of visions are manifestations of our real nature. Our potentiality manifests
like subject and object and we do not fall into dualistic vision. We know that it is a
manifestation of ourselves and then there is no reason to block that. When there
are secondary causes, it can always manifest. But when we are using practice
methods, like Dzogchen thögal or yangti, we don’t need to wait for secondary
causes. We can create them with our position, our way of breathing, etc., and in
that way everything can manifest like visions and we become more and more
familiar and also have more possibility to integrate.

Great Transference

When you are following Dzogchen teaching, this is something important in order
to understand why, for example, we have Rainbow Body. Many people do not
believe it when we say we can have realization of the Rainbow Body.

There are two kinds of Rainbow Body: one is called the Great Transference —
Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra are famous for this kind of manifestation.
There are also some stories about Garab Dorje manifesting that kind of Rainbow
Body called the Great Transference. What does ‘Great Transference’ mean? It
means that we become very familiar with doing this vision of our potentiality in
front of us. Think about what I have said about chonyi ngon sum, like the
manifestations of the thigle, which represents your primary potentiality,
becoming visible. This is the method, the transmission and the potentiality of
the teachings of Dzogchen. When you have this knowledge, you do not fall into
dualistic vision, but even though you do not fall into dualistic vision, you are not
totally integrated into that. Your body is still here. Your vision is in front of
you.

Thogyal
In the Dzogchen teaching of thogyal, what does thogyal mean? Tho means
forehead. Your forehead is in front of you. In your head, you have two eyes,
two ears, two nostrils, all the organs of the senses are on the head. The
functions of all the senses, what I call the ‘office’ of the mind, are in the head.
Some people say that mind is in the head, but it is not in the head, it is in the
centre of our dimension because it is the essence of our existence. The essence
of existence is always at the centre, not at the border because it has its
dimension. Mind has the dimension of our physical body, but the organs of the
senses are all on the head.

When we live in dualistic vision, we cannot have any contact with objects if we do
not open our eyes, our ears, etc. For that reason, we receive all [sensory]
information through the head.

When we talk about the five senses, we say ‘subject’ and ‘object’. ‘Subject’
means our organs such as our two eyes, while ‘object’ refers to what we are
seeing such as form, colour, etc. We have ‘subject’ and ‘object’ for all our
senses. But we also talk about the consciousness of the five senses. What
does ‘consciousness’ mean? It doesn’t mean consciousness such as judging and
thinking with the mind but simply receiving all information, which is immediately
communicated to our mind. This function is called the ‘consciousness of the
senses’ even though we usually consider consciousness connected to our mind, to
judging and thinking. So tho, the forehead, is related to all these functions.

Gal means ‘passing’ and in Tibetan it is a verb. We say chuwo gal, we are
crossing a river. We are crossing from here to there. This is the real meaning
of thogal. How can we pass? When you learn Dzogchen teaching such as
thogal, there are four visions, in succession, with very precise instructions
connected with your position, breathing, the way of gazing and the way of using
your senses. When you follow these instructions precisely, you can feel them,
you can have these visions. That means you are integrating your existence in
this thigle, in chonyi ngon sum, your potentiality of sound, light and rays that
manifests in front of you. The fourth stage means that you have completely
succeeded in totally integrating your existence in this thigle. In that moment
you have the realization of the Great Transference. You no longer have death
because in general it is our physical body that dies and in the Great Transference
our physical body has already been transferred into the thigle. This is realization
just like Guru Padmasambhava [manifested].

Rainbow Body

It is not so easy and we should have completely finished this fourth level [of the
four visions of Thogal]. But it is not so difficult to get into the fourth level.
Practitioners who get to the fourth level, even though they do not complete it,
know they will manifest the Rainbow Body when they die. The Rainbow Body
never manifests without the practitioner knowing. It is not something that takes
place just due to circumstances. The practitioner has knowledge, has some kind
of signs, is present in the fourth level. For example, if you put your five fingers
like this [Rinpoche opens his fingers widely] and look at them, even though you
see them at the material level, theses five fingers are all connected with light
between them. You can see that concretely. When you can see this, perhaps
you can have the Rainbow Body when you are dying. That is one of many signs.
Some people think that since they have done many years of practice in retreat
that maybe they will manifest the Rainbow Body when they die, but the Rainbow
Body does not come about in that way. So you can understand how the
Rainbow Body comes about and also the Great Transference.

When a person has that realization of Rainbow Body then their physical body
slowly disappears and other people cannot see it. It seems as if that person has
disappeared, but in the real sense he/she is alive and continuing their activities
actively in the Rainbow Body. They can continue doing benefit, being active in
the Rainbow Body for centuries and centuries, just like Guru Padmasambhava.
If they want to renounce that, they dissolve into the Dharmakaya, then all of the
qualifications of the Dharmakaya manifest just like everyone else who has
manifested in the same way. They can also have infinite quantity and quality of
wisdom but are no longer active. People can only receive wisdom when they
have a relationship, [either] good or bad with that person.

Rainbow Body today

The Rainbow Body is not just some type of ancient history. Today there are still
many manifestations of Rainbow Body. There are methods, there are teachings,
there is transmission, everything is alive and for that reason it exists. But it is
not so easy to have realization of the Rainbow Body, particularly for teachers who
are giving and transmitting teachings to many people.

For example, in the Dzogchen Upadesha, there is a lineage of teachers who

manifested the Rainbow Body. There was once this teacher of the Dzogchen
lineage called Dzing Dharmabodhi who was a very famous teacher. But Dzing
Dharmabodhi didn’t give teaching to just 2 or 3 people. He had hundreds and
hundreds of students that he gave teaching to, just like me. But there has never
been a teacher who has given Dzogchen teaching like I do: when we have
teaching and when we sign the Song of the Vajra and do Guruyoga, we all do it at
the same moment, all around the globe. This is very good and very useful for
many sentient beings in order to have knowledge of Dzogchen, to develop and to
have realization. But if I [act in a] limited way while giving teaching, and I am
really interested in the Rainbow Body, then it is not good. There were many
generations after Dzing Dharmabodhi that did not manifest Rainbow Body, the
reason being that Dzing Dharmabodhi gave teaching in a public way. From that
period, they continued in that way for many generations. So it is good for
teachings and many sentient beings but not for the Rainbow Body.

If you want to have something like the Rainbow Body, you need to do practice
secretly, personally, not talking about it too much, then you can have realization
and you can also have Rainbow Body. It is also very important to understand
this.

TWELVE DZOGCHEN BUDDHAS ๑۩۞۩๑ ཨ ཨ ཨ

A D I aa TFH EGaTEaEH ahn vaTgnahcaeTievil

May this essential and Alive Dharma find you in good health and prosperity . Now
we are reflecting about Twelve Dzogchen Buddhas as described in the Great History
of the Heart Essence of Vimalamitra . There are also links to important Buddhist
events around the world . May pure Dharma prosper and benefit many beings
๑۩۞۩๑ ཨ ཨ ཨ ๑۩۞۩๑

1.1.TWELVE DZOGCHEN BUDDHAS

»Thus, for the sake of an inconceivable number of disciples . Vajradhara, the
Great, the truly and completely awakened conqueror , magically conjured forth
guides in forms that corresponded to those to be guided . And these emanations
were all endowed with five perfections in the following way in order to purify the
five aggregates of their retinues .

First , the perfect teacher Great Vajradhara appeared in the realm Abundant
Delight, in the perfect palace of a lotus flower . Here, as the teacher Youth of
Inconceivable Sublime Light, he taught the DRA THAL GYUR – the tantra that
precedes all others, the root of all teachings – to a retinue of thousand and two
buddhas . The tantra *s compiler was the celestial youth Mighty Bringer of Joy
whose companions included the deva Brilliant Sun . This was during the time
when a life span could last an incalculable number of years . »

An excerpt from the Great History of the Heart Essence : Part One belonging to
the Instruction Section*s Cycle of the Heart Essence of Vimalamitra .

Wellsprings of the Great Perfection : the lives and insights of the early masters ,
compiled and edited by Erik Pema Kunsang , Rangjung Yeshe Publications,
Kathmandu, Nepal, 2006 .

Commentary by Tara Tulku Drimed Drolkhar Rinpoche :

HOMAGE TO IMMACULATE BUDDHAS

Dzogchen master Vimalamitra taught Ati Yoga Dzogchen in Tibet and dictated this
Great history to noble Tibetan translator Kawa Paltseg , at the second floor of the
Samye temple .

Let us stop here and reflect on the above essential Dharma .

Twelve is always important number in Nyingma Buddhism , it represent complete
cycle , like twelve signs of the Zodiac . This essential Dharma has outer, inner,
secret and most secret meanings . Most readers understand it as outer meaning ,
that is : outside of themselves : once upon a time there was Vajradhara the great
who sent forth magical emanations in order to guide disciples …. When we are on
the Ati Yoga Dzogchen path of self-liberation , we gradually transcend time and
space , even for a moment in the Samadhi of Sound has immeasurable merit for
ourselves and others . Master Vimalamitra taught Samadhi of Sound while
Nyingma scholar All-knowing Longchen Rabjam classified all Twenty-one
Semdzins into three groups . Samadhi of Sound belongs to the second group of
Semdzins .

With Direct introduction to our Real nature (Dharmata, Chonyid ) of

Sound*Light*Rays , represented by Thigle Rainbow sphere with white letter A ཨ
we come closer and closer to secret and innermost secret of Dra Thal Gyur Tantra
* Penetration of Sound . Our five aggregates or skandas become more and more
purified . We understand that Vajradhara the Great , appearing in the Realm of
Abundant delight , in the perfect palace of the Lotus Flower , is beyond time and
space . There is no limination of the PENETRATION OF SOUND * Dra Thal gyur , it
is unimpeded continuity …..

Human beings without experiences of their real nature (Dharmata, Chonyid) or

Buddha nature as it is called in Mahayana , need historical accounts , otherwise
they will not believe . this was clearly pointed out by master Vimalamitra . Those
of us who practice Ati Yoga Dzogchen can also understand Great history from
outside to inside , like pilling of onion skin and coming closer and closer to our
Real nature . Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche often explains on open webcast
about outer, inner and secret Sound . Due to his immense devotion to teach
Dzogchen Ati Yoga lineage to present generations around the world , these sacred
teachings became more and more A-live . Many years ago I said to few English
speaking Buddhist teachers : Do you know the meaning of Chonyid kyi rangdra ?
Do you know the meaning of Natural Sound of Dharmata ? Nobody of them knew
. …I came back to this world to uphold this endangered Lineage . » Therefore I
practice Ati Yoga Dzogchen since June 1989 , that is 25 years with guidance of
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu (born : 1938) . From 2000-2005/6 I received many
Dzogchen instructions from Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche (1931-2011) who
transmitted Ati Yoga essence lineage to me in Spring 2000. I am immensely
grateful to these Dzogchen masters for all their kindness and precious Teachings .
Since this dream I encouraged Chogyal Namkhai Norbu in few emails and letters,
to teach from Dra Thal Gyur root tantra of Dzogchen Upadesha . May the secret
Sound*Light*Rays be present in unimpeded continuity in all and may we have
stable recognition of our Real nature (Dharmata, Chonyid) .

1.2. How did Dzogchen Dharmas reach our human realm : ๑۩۞۩๑ ཨ ཨ ཨ

๑۩۞۩๑
Now in May 2014 we could listen to open webcast of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu :
Dorje Sempa Namkhai Che * Total Space of Vajrasattva . These verses were
recited by first Dzogchen master in human realm , Guru Garab Dorje who was
emanation of Buddha Shakyamuni . As Chogyal Namkhai Norbu pointed out :«
Shakyamuni Buddha practiced Contemplation/Samadhi for six years , sitting under
the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya . Dra Thal Gyur is the essence of all Buddhist teachings
.« When we contemplate secret Sound in ourselves , we know this Root or the
Base (Xi) .

1.3. Continuation of Ati Yoga Essence lineage ๑۩۞۩๑ ཨ ཨ ཨ ๑۩۞۩๑

All true Dzogchen masters are contemplating the secret Sound or Natural Sound
of Dharmata of their real Nature (Dharmata, Chonyid) or Buddha nature . Natural
Sound of Dharmata (Chonyid kyi rangdra) is immensely important .

๑۩۞۩๑ ཨ ཨ ཨ ๑۩۞۩๑

This lineage : Chönyid kyi rangdra or Natural Sound of Dharmata has origin in Dra
Thal Gyur root tantra of Dzogchen Upadesha . Master Vimalamitra is the only one
who wrote commentary on Dra Thal Gyur tantra or Reverberation of Sound
.Vimalamitras commentary is preserved at Khatok monastery in East Tibet .
REVERBERATION OF SOUND is the root of all Buddhist Dharma . Reverberation of
Sound (Dra Thal Gyur) is connected to 16 other Dzogchen Upadesha tantras . We
need to see this display diametrical as a circle , not horizontal . DRA THAL GYUR
tantra in the centre and names of 16 other Upadesha tantras around .

๑۩۞۩๑ ཨ ཨ ཨ ๑۩۞۩๑

“The Mind transmission of the buddhas of three times is known as a transmission

through blessings – naturally perfect blessings of all buddhas of the past and the
future and of those who reside in the present. Independent of articulated words
this transmission is understood and realized through the natural Sound of
Dharmata.” Wellspring of the great perfection – The lives and insights of the early
masters , compiled and edited by E.P. Kunsang, The Twelve Dzogchen Buddhas ,
An excerpt from the great history of the Heart Essence , part One belonging to the
instruction section Cycle of the Heart Essence of Vimalamitra , pg 119. Rangjung
Yeshe Publications.

Sound is vibration – energy of Light , non-dual : primordial purity of voidness in

ourselves (Skt. Shunyata , Tongpa nyid ) spontaneously manifesting as secret
Sound of sacred white letter A in rainbow sphere * Thigle .

ChNN on Garab Dorje’s Three Statements

Posted on August 23, 2010 by prdeepak | Leave a comment

Excerpts from Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche’s recent teachings in London

England on Garab Dorje’s famous “Three Statements”. For more, go to the
Mirror site (see Links on side).

The Three Statements are:

* Direct Introduction

* Do not remain in doubt

* Integrate into everyday life

On Direct Introduction

This refers to our instant presence, rigpa that we have discovered. Our
understanding. Not understanding in an intellectual way but discovering it.
Understanding in an intellectual way and discovering are two completely different
things. When I went to receive teaching from my teacher, Changchub Dorje, he
asked me what I had studied. I told him sutra, tantra and in particular
Madhaymika, Yogacarya, this book, that book, logic, and I was also very proud at
the time because I thought I knew everything very well.

Then one day I remember that my teacher said to me, “Your mouth is Madhymika
and your nose is logic”. He was joking a bit with me, I thought, because although
he was a practitioner, he had never studied whereas I had studied everything and
that was why he said that. I was proud because I had studied and I believed that I
knew everything because that is the mental aspect, mental knowledge. But I did
not know that the real sense of the teaching is something we need to discover. I
had never heard that before.

I also remember when I was in college. This is a very important example. I was
studying the ‘Prajnaparamita Alamkara’ a text originally by Maitreya, a very
important text explaining knowledge of Prajnaparamita. The first time I studied it,
it didn’t seem to be difficult, but the second time I studied it with the
commentary it was much more difficult. The third time I studied it, it was really
very difficult and at the end I really didn’t know what the conclusion was. I was
very surprised because when I had studied other books once or twice they
became really easy.

One day I went to my teacher and asked him why I found this text more and more
difficult to understand. He said that first of all this book explains knowledge,
qualifications, qualities of Arhats in more of a Hinayana style with levels, secondly
it explains Mahayana and then the third level is qualifications of Enlightened
Beings, of Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Dharmakaya. My teacher, who was
also a Dzogchen practitioner and a student of Shenga Rinpoche (gzhan dga’ rin po
che), told me to try to understand it not thinking only of the qualities of
Boddhisattvas, Arhats and Buddhas but to turn a little within myself and observe
and think and maybe it would help the text become a little easier. I didn’t
understand what he meant. I went back home and read the text again but didn’t
find anything that I could relate to myself and it didn’t help at all.

Then many years passed and later when I received teaching from my teacher,
Changchub Dorje, I found that it is necessary that we discover our real nature.
This is the principle of the Dzogchen teaching and I became a Dzogchen
practitioner.

Later I arrived in Italy and worked with Prof. Tucci. There were a lot of books in his
library and one day I saw that he had this text that I had studied at college and I
brought it home. I read it for one or two weeks, but now when I read it, it was
very easy and I understood what my teacher at college had meant when he told
me to observe within myself. Now I knew how to observe. Before I didn’t. I didn’t
even know that we have to discover our real nature. So we do not discover
anything in intellectual knowledge, we only study, judge, think, do analysis and
we believe that we know. But discovering is something very different. In the
Dzogchen Teaching the most important thing is discovering our real nature. This is
what it says here.

The Secret Nature of the Teachings

Sometimes people think that Dzogchen is very secret but it is not like that. There
is also an explanation of Garab Dorje: if people are interested and are searching
for knowledge of Dzogchen, even if there are 100 people, we can talk and give
that knowledge. If people are not interested and don’t want to know about it, we
should not give [teaching], should not talk about it, we should keep it secret,
because there is no reason, it has no benefit. In this case, even if we speak to one
person, it is too many. We give Dzogchen teaching to people who participate,
who are interested. We do not talk about it in the street with loudspeakers so
why should we keep it secret from people who are interested?

We often say that Dzogchen teaching is secret because it is not easy to

understand, its nature is secret. If I show you this object [a vajra], it is not secret
because you can see it and touch it. I tell you that it is called vajra and you
understand that. But when I talk about our real nature, even though I use many
words, it is not easy to understand. I cannot explain and we need to do the direct
introduction with method, experiences and the teacher hopes that maybe those
participating have discovered. This means the nature of the teachings is secret.
The nature of the Vajrayana teachings is also secret.

Do Not Remain in Doubt

ཐག་གཅིག་ཐྒྲོག་ཏུ་བཅད་པ་དང་༔
means we are completely familiar with what we have discovered. This is not so easy.
This is the second statement of Garab Dorje. In general it means we can decide
something in an intellectual way, we can decide that this is the only way. We can
decide everything – today we decide something, but maybe tomorrow we discover it
is not real. This is normal in our intellectual way.
For example, in the Buddhist philosophical tradition we have the Yogacarya and the
earlier Dodepa (mdo sde pa) Sutra system. When these two schools of thought
debated, most scholars were convinced that Yogacarya was superior which meant
that Sutra was lacking a lot of knowledge even if they had decided that this was the
final goal. But then they discovered. Then the Yogacarya school became very
diffused in the Mahayana. Later on they debated with the Madhyamika school and in
the end Madhyamika was considered superior to Yogacarya because some
understanding was lacking in Yogacarya. That is an example.
We can decide many things intellectually today, but there is no guarantee. With our
intellectual mind, we judge, we think this is logic, that things must be in a certain
way and then we believe. But that does not mean that we are discovering. Then later
we know that something is missing. For that reason when the teacher gives you the
introduction, you may think you have understood, have discovered your real nature.
Sometimes you can have this in a perfect way. But many times you discover
something, but you have a little doubt. Then what should you do? If you are really in
your real nature, it must be in a perfect way. If you remain in doubt that is not a
perfect base.
Semde, Longde, Upadesa
There are many Dzogchen Teachings of Guru Garab Dorje and when he manifested
the Rainbow Body, his most important student, Manjusrimitra, collected all his
Dzogchen teachings and divided them into three sections according to the Three
Statements of Garab Dorje. All the sections for having precise direct introduction,
for discovering our real nature, are called Dzogchen Semde and there are many
volumes, many tantras belonging to this Dzogchen Semde. In the Dzogchen Semde
we work in a very precise way with experiences and at the end we can have more
precise knowledge of our real nature. But sometimes that is not the final goal,
something may be lacking, we may have doubts. Then there are many other
methods, which are a series of Garab Dorje’s teachings and tantras called the section
of the Dzogchen Longde. Long means space, while sem means mind, mind to nature
of mind, we discover this and are in that state. De means series of teachings. The
Semde is the first group related to the first statement of Garab Dorje.
The second series is called Longde. Long means space. Space is the dimension in
which we can have different kinds of manifestations. Different manifestations are
very important for integrating in our real nature. In the practice of Dzogchen
Longde, there are different kinds of methods and we can have visions. In the
teachings there are mainly three kinds of experiences we always use. In general
everything in our life is experience but when we relate this to our body, voice and
mind there are three experiences. When we do the introduction, for example, we use
one experience, the experience of emptiness or clarity or something like that. But in
the Dzogchen Longde we use three experiences together in the same moment and
unify that state: this is called yerme, without distinctions. We are in that state. When
we are in that state our real nature of the state of contemplation is naked. We do
these kinds of practices to be 100% sure of our real nature. For that reason, there are
many series of practices in the Dzogchen Longde.
Then lastly there is the Dzogchen Upadesa which means the more secret methods.
The main practice considers that we already have knowledge, that we have already
discovered our real nature and when we have that, how we integrate our body,
speech, mind, our life, everything in that state. If we succeed in integrating
everything, we are realized. Realization means we are not conditioned by dualistic
vision, we are totally in our real nature, that moment our potentiality of sound, light
and rays that we have had from the very beginning manifests nakedly, in its real
condition.
Realization is not building something that we did not have before. In Sutra teaching
and in lower tantra, they have this idea that we are building, developing, and then
one day we will have a manifestation of realization. But in the Dzogchen teaching
realization means totally manifesting our potentiality without having any obstacles.
All obstacles are purified with that potentiality of the state of contemplation. This is
the supreme purification. This is the real meaning of ཐག་གཅིག་ཐྒྲོག་ཏུ་བཅད་པ་. It
doesn’t mean that we decide something with our mind.
When we have bad weather we say today there is no sunshine, but that is not true.
The sun is always in the sky but we do not see it because there are thick clouds, just
like obstacles. In the same way we accumulate a lot of negative karma, potentiality,
emotions, thoughts related to our mind, and they all become obstacles so that we do
not see, we do not discover our real nature. But when we purify them, then our real
nature manifests. We do not build or produce something new. There is nothing to
produce. We know that and we are simply in that state as much as possible and then
our real nature manifests.
This is the very essence of the Three Statement of Garab Dorje.

Interesting your choice of words.... "compassion" associated with lhundrub

(spontaneous arising primordial energy). Another term for "self-arising
primordial energy" is in Tibetan: thugje Thugje means Compassion-Energy!
Ok, let's follow this out.... all energy that exists in all universes is this
"lhundrub". That lhundrub energy arises from our base of primordial potential
manifestation. That base is "kadag". Another term for the kadag aspect is
Dharmakaya. The first stage of manifesting primordial lhundrub energy is called
Sambhogakaya. The fully material manifestation of lhundrub energy is called
Nirmanakaya. All that exists is either Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya or
Nirmanakaya. Thogel practice works with lhundrub as Sambhogakaya energies.
Since all energies and objects etc. are "thugje" (compassion energy), then the
entire univesre is itself the expression and manifestation of compassion. That
means every event is working for our benefit in each moment. Hence the entire
universe is the Great Perfection(Dzogchen) already, not at some point in the
future. Or in theistic language, God's infinite love(thugje) and infinite perfection
is manifesting throughout all of creation as the creation itself....

GAZING AS DZOCHEN

1. WE LOOK THROUGH THE MIND AND WE GAZE WITHIN AWARENESS…BECOMING AWARE OF

AWARENESS IS THE PATH OF GAZING (WHETHER YOUR EYES ARE OPENED OR CLOSED)…WE
CAN GAZE INTO AWARENESS AND WE ARE IMMEDIATELY THE FIELD, THE FIELD OF BEING. IF
WE LOOK AND LOOK FOR AWARENESS WITH OUR MIND ONLY BLANKNESS ARISES, A BLANK
STATE. SUNYATA, PRIMORDIAL KNOWINGNESS, IS NOT BLANKNESS, IT IS NOT BLANKING OUT.
AS WE BECOME AWARE OF AWARENESS WE ENTER THE GAZE, WE BECOME THE PLACE OF THE
GAZE…THIS GAZING FROM WITHIN AWARENESS OPENS THE MULTIDIMENSIONALNESS .…THE
DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS OF THE FIELD MANIFEST WITHIN THE GAZE, WITHIN US . THE GAZE IS
BOTH WITHIN US AND BEYOND US. WITHIN THE GAZE THERE IS NEITHER SIMPLE INSIDE OR
SIMPLE OUTSIDE. THE GAZE IS PLACE ..A VAST PLACE BEYOND INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.
THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF GAZING. AT TIMES WE GAZE THROUGH THE EYES OF THE MIND,
(HEART CHANNELS), WE CAN GAZE THROUGH THE ENTIRE BODY, WE CAN GAZE THROUGH THE
HEART ESSENCE, HRIDAYAM. WE CAN GAZE THROUGH TOUCH, WE CAN GAZE THROUGH
SOUND, WE GAZE THROUGH SIGHT. WE CAN GAZE INTO VARIOUS PHENOMENA…ALL
DIRECTLY…UNMEDIATED..WE CAN GAZE INTO SKY, WE CAN GAZE INTO DEATH, WE CAN GAZE
IN THE PRE PERSONAL, GAZING INTO SOMA, GAZING INTO THE ELEMENTS, GAZING INTO THE
DAKINI, THE VORTEXUAL, THE ELEMENT OF FLESH, WE GAZE INTO PSYCHE..THE GAZE ITSELF IS
PSYCHE, NOT MIND.

GAZING BOTH LEADS TO AND IS GNOSIS, JHNANA..DIRECT PERCEPTION. TOGEL, THE LEAPING
OVER PRACTICE, IS NOT SIMPLY GAZING INTO THE SKY, ALTHOUGH SKY GAZING IS ITS
CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL ELABORATION. IF YOU WISH TO LIVE IN GNOSIS THEN
GAZE…GAZING IS THE MOST DIRECT OF METHODS.. THE GAZING METHODS OF DZOGCHEN ARE
OFTEN SECRET AND PROTECTED.

2.GAZING BRINGS FORTH THE SENSE OF PLACE…LOOKING.. LOOKING.. BRINGS FORTH SUBJECT
OBJECT DUALITY…LOOKING BRINGS FORTH OBJECTIFICATION AND CLARITY. THE GAZE UPLIFTS
THE LOOK. THE LOOK LOOKS AT, THE GAZE ALLOWS THE VAST PLACE TO OPEN..HUMAN BEINGS
ARE PLACES, OPEN PLACES IN THE SEA OF QI. GAZING IS A PLACE THAT OPENS THE PLACE OF
PHENOMENA..AND GAZING OPENS THE MULTIDIMENSIONALNESS OF PHENOMENA, OPENS
THE KAYAS.

GAZING INTO ONES AWARENESS ALLOWS US TO GAZE INTO AWARENESS WITHIN ALL
PHENOMENA..IN GAZING WE BECOME THE PLACE OF APPEARANCE MANIFESTING, IN GAZING
WE BECOME THE PLACE OF THE APPARITIONAL MANIFESTATIONS, AND IN GAZING WE
BECOME THE OPENNESS OF THE DHARMAKAYA. THIS PLACE IS THE PLACE OF
DIMENSIONALITY…BECOMING THE DIMENSIONS

3.GAZE IS THE OPENNESS OF DHARMAKAYA MANIFESTING AS THE OPENNESS OF LUMINOUS

SEEING WHICH IS KNOWING, GNOSIS, DIRECT PERCEPTION, JHANA. THIS GAZING TAKES PLACE
WITHIN AND THROUGH OUR PRIMORDIAL SUBJECTIVITY, NOT THE SUBJECTIVITY OF
CONTAINED MIND, THE NATURAL OPENNESS OF US TO THE OPENNESS OF THE GREAT
EXPANSE. GAZING IS AN INFINITE PROCESS IN THE SENSE OF ITS UNBOUNDEDNESS..GAZING
HAS NO FRAMING, NO MIND PICTURE, NO MENTAL ELABORATION. THE BEINGNESS OF BEING
MANIFEST WITHIN AND THROUGH THE GAZE…THE PLACE OF THE GAZE IS THE PLACE OF THE
MANIFESTATION OF THE KAYAS. THE NATURE OF AWARENESS IS THE OPENNESS OF GAZE…THE
OPENNESS OF AWARENESS IS THE OPENNESS OF THE GAZE..IN OUR HEART OF HEARTS WE ARE
THE GAZE…INNERMOST HEART ESSENCE.

4. IN THE GAZE YOU DO NOT SIMPLY SEE AN OBJECT, YOU BECOME THE PLACE OF THE GAZE
AND IN THAT PLACE YOU BECOME THE PLACE OF MANIFESTATION, THE PLACE OF BRINGING
FORTH…BRINGING FORTH THE BEINGNESS OF BEING….THE BEINGNESS OF BEING MANIFESTING
THROUGH AND AS APPEARANCE, NIRMANAKAYA. THE BEINGNESS OF BEING MANIFESTING
THROUGH AND AS APPARITIONAL ..THE PLACE OF APPARITIONAL,THE SAMBOGAKAYA, AND
BEING IN ITS UNMANIFESTEDNESS……AS DHARMAKAYA

5..GAZING IS THE FIELD..THE FIELD IS GAZING INTO THE FIELD. WHEN YOU GAZE YOU ARE THE
EXPERIENTIAL PLACE OF THE FIELD. THE FIELD GAZES THROUGH MIND AND ALSO BEYOND THE
MIND. ACTUALLY, A HUMAN BEING IS THE PLACE OF THE GAZE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE
MIND BODY CONTINUUM IN SPACE AND TIME. GAZE REFLECTS SOURCE AND IS SOURCE.

6. THE GAZE IS THE RADIANCE OF AWARENESS, THE OPENNESS OF AWARENESS, THE PLACE OF
AWARENESS. THE GAZE CAN COME THROUGH EYES AND EARS AND SENSATION. IN GAZING
YOU BECOME EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE.. A PLACE OF GAZE..BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH.

7. EXTENSION IS A WAY OF LEARNING TO GAZE..IN SKILLFULNESS THE GAZE AND EXTENSION

ARE IN ONENESS…..GAZE AND EXTENSION ULTIMATELY ARE IN ONENESS…SAMANTRABADRI
AND SAMANTRABADRA. THE GAZE IS QI OF ONENESS. PASSING THROUGH IS THE ACTION SKILL
OF THE GAZE.. GAZE IS NOT A SUBJECT OBJECT RELATION. GAZE IS THE FIELD WHEREIN
SUBJECTIVITY AND OBJECTS MANIFEST AS DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS OF THE WORLD…ONE
FLESH. NO ONE HAS THE GAZE..YOU ARE THE GAZE..PASSING THOUGH A PERSON, PASSING
THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCE, PASSING THROUGH SITUATION, PASSING THROUGH THE
BOUNDARIES OF LIFE AND DEATHLESS STATE, PASSING THROUGH MEMORY, PASSING
THROUGH EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING. PASSING THROUGH IS SOARING, PASSING THROUGH
IS BEING A SKY GOER.

8. IN AND THROUGH GAZING THE PLACE OF THE GAZE BECOMES THE PLACE OF THE
MANIFESTATION OF AWARENESS IN ALL ITS DIMENSIONS.. THE GAZE IS TIMELESS AWARENESS
IN DUALITY AND TIMELESS AWARENESS IN NON DUALITY. THE GAZE HAS RANGE. THE GAZE IS
NAKED AWARENESS AND THE OPENING OF THE BEINGNESS OF BEING THROUGH ALL
PHENOMENA.

9. IN THE GAZE APPEARANCES REVEAL THEMSELVES, APPARITIONAL DIMENSION REVEALS

ITSELF, AND DHARMAKAYA REVEALS ITSELF. THROUGH THE GAZE EVERYTHING IS
UNCONCEALED..THAT IS WHY THE GAZE IS SO DIFFICULT AND SO EASY.

THE GAZE IS THE APOCALYPTIC FIRE…THE GAZE DESTROYS NEGATION, DESTROYS HORRIBLE
INFLUENCES AND DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCES. THE GAZE IS BENEVOLENCE AND FIERCENESS. THE
GAZE IS THE BLAZING FIRE OF THE SUN. THE GAZE IS THE VAJRAKILAYA, THE GAZE IS THE
PHUBA. THE GAZE BOTH BRINGS FORTH AND THE GAZE DESTROYS, RELEASES WHAT IS TO BE
RELEASED. OM RULU RULU HUNG HO RULU.
10.THE GAZE IS A GIVENNESS AND TRANSMISSION.., THE GAZE IS THE PLACE, THE LOCUS OF
TRANSMISSION OF AWARENESS.

11. THE GAZE IS THE SOURCE OF INVOCATION AND BRINGS FORTH APPARITIONAL
DIMENSIONS. WITHOUT THE GAZE AND NOT BEING WITHIN GAZE THERE IS NO INVOCATIONAL
POWER….NOTHING CAN BE BROUGHT FORTH FROM WITHIN AS THE PLACE ITSELF DOES NOT
EXIST FOR APPEARANCE TO MANIFEST. DESIRE SHOULD BE HELD WITHIN THE GAZE…THEN
FRUITION IS POSSIBLE.

12. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE HUMAN FACE WITHOUT BEING IN THE GAZE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
TO SEE THE HUMAN BEING WITHOUT BEING IN THE GAZE. THE GAZE IS NOT AN AFFECT, AND
NOT A SENSATION, AND NOT A DREAM. THE GAZE IN ITS FULLNESS IS THE MANIFESTATION OF
THE GREAT COMPASSION, THE BODHICITTA. THE GREAT COMPASSION IS THE GAZE …JHANA
DHATU.

13. THE GAZE GIVES THE POWER OF AWARENESS FIELD TO ANOTHER..WE TRANSMIT THROUGH
THE GAZE AND WE CAN TRANSMIT THE POWER OF THE GAZE TO EACH OTHER.

14. THE GAZE OF COMPASSION IS THE GREAT PROTECTION…THE GAZE IS BOTH BENEFICENT
AND FIERCE. THE FIRE, THE BLAZINGNESS OF THE GAZES, CUTS THROUGH TERRIBLE
INFLUENCES, NEGATIVE INFLUENCE , DEMONIC LIKE INFLUENCE. THE GAZE LIBERATES,
LIBERATES US WITHIN THE FIELD, DISSOLVING, METABOLIZING WHATEVER HAS TO BE
DISSOLVED. THE GAZING INTO HISTORY DISSOLVES THE GRASP OF HISTORY. GAZING INTO THE
VARIOUS PLANETARY ENERGIES CREATES ATTUNEMENT AND PACIFICATION. GAZING IS THE
PATH OF LIBERATION.

15. YESHE TSOGYAL SAYS THE FEELING OF LOVE PERFECTS THE GLANCE. LOVE PERFECTS THE
GLANCE AS LIGHTENING. THE EMITTING OF LIGHT, THE EMITTING OF BRILLIANCE, CREATING
AND DESTROYING, DISSOLVING, RELEASING…RELEASING, AND RELEASING. PADMASAMBHAVA
SAYS I GIVE MYSELF AS A SPOUSE TO ALL BEINGS.

ANALYTIC MIND INTERPRETING GAZING..MIND INTERPRETING PSYCHE……ONE DIMENSION

INTERPRETING A MORE PROFOUND DIMENSION..HISTORICAL MIND INTERPRETING A
HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE.

OM AH HUM, BODHICITTA, MAHA SUKA, JHANA DATU AH.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche outlines the whole path of Dzogchen:

“The practice of Dzogchen or Atiyoga, is to realise the tathagatagarbha,
or buddha nature, which has been present in our nature since the very
beginning. Here it is not sufficient to concentrate on contrived practices
that involve intellectual efforts and concepts; to recognise this Nature, the
practice should be utterly beyond fabrication. The practice is simply to
realise the radiance, the natural expression of wisdom, which is beyond all
intellectual concepts. It is the true realisation of the Absolute Nature just as
it is, the ultimate fruition.

At the present moment our awareness is entangled within our mind,

completely enveloped and obscured by mental activity. Through the
practice of Trekchö, or ‘cutting through all attachment’, and the ‘direct
realization’ of Tögal, one can unmask this awareness and let its radiance
arise.

To accomplish this it is necessary to do the practice of ‘the four ways of

leaving things in their natural simplicity’ (Tib. chokshyak shyi) and through
these, to acquire perfect stability in the Trekchö practice. Then will come
the ‘four visions of tögal’ which are the natural arising of visions of discs
and rays of light, deities and buddha fields. These visions are naturally
ready to arise from within the central channel that joins the heart to the
eyes. Such an arising from this channel will appear in a gradual process. In
the same way that the waxing moon will increase from the first to the
fifteenth of the month, these visions will gradually increase—from the
simple perception of dots of light to the full array of the vast expanse of
the sambhogakaya buddha fields. The manifestation of space and
awareness will thus reach its culminating point.

These experiences are not linked with consciousness or intellect as the

former experiences were; they are a true manifestation or radiance of
awareness. After this, in the same way that the moon decreases and
disappears from the fifteenth to the thirtieth of the month, all of these
experiences and visions, all phenomena, will gradually come to exhaustion
and reabsorb themselves in the Absolute. At this time the deluded mind
which conceives subject and object will disappear, and the primal wisdom,
which is beyond intellect, will gradually expand. Eventually one will attain
the perfect enlightenment of the Primordial Buddha, Samantabhadra,
endowed with the six extraordinary features.

This is the path intended for people of superior faculties who can achieve
enlightenment in this very lifetime. For those of medium faculties, there is
instruction on how to achieve liberation within the 'Bardo' or ‘intermediate
state’. When we say ‘Bardo’, in fact we recognise four bardos: the Bardo
from conception to death; the Bardo of the moment of death; the Bardo of
the Absolute Nature; and the Bardo of coming into the next existence.
The Bardo between conception and death is our present state. In order to
destroy all deluded perceptions or deluded thoughts in this Bardo, the
ultimate practice is Dzogchen Atiyoga. In this there are the two main paths
of Trekchö and Tögal, as described above. As the ultimate fruition of this
practice, the ordinary body made of gross aggregates will dissolve into the
‘Rainbow Body of Great Transference’ or ‘Vajra-body’, or dissolve without
leaving any remnants.

But if one cannot achieve such ultimate attainment within a lifetime, then
there is still the possibility of achieving enlightenment at the time of death.
If our teacher or a close Dharma brother is near to us at the very moment
of our death, he will remind us of the instructions—the introduction to the
nature of mind. If we can recall our experience of practice and remain in
this nature, then we achieve realization. It is then possible to depart to a
buddha field straightaway with no intermediate state. If this is not
accomplished, then the Bardo of the Absolute Nature, or Dharmata, will
arise. At this time the Ground Luminosity of the Dharmakaya will appear. If
one can unite the Ground Luminosity (Mother Luminosity) with the
Luminosity which one has recognized whilst practising during one’s lifetime
(Child Luminosity), then one will be liberated into the Dharmakaya.
If one is not liberated at this time, then countless manifestations will
appear: sounds, lights and rays. Great fear will arise because of these
emanations and visions, but if one is a good practitioner one will realize
that there is no point in being afraid. One will know that whatever deities
appear, wrathful or peaceful, they are one’s own projections. The
recognition of this assures liberation in a sambhogakaya buddha field. But if
 this is not accomplished, then the Bardo of coming into a new existence will
occur. If one practises in the right way at this time one can be liberated into
a nirmanakaya buddha field.

In essence, the primordial nature of the Buddha Samantabhadra is like the

ground or mother-nature of realization. The nature which has been
introduced to us by the teacher is like the child-nature. When these two
meet, one will attain full realization and seize the fortress of
Enlightenment.

For ordinary beings unable to achieve liberation either in this life or in the
intermediate state, liberation can be attained in the nirmanakaya buddha
fields.

In brief, through the practice of the path of Trekchö and Tögal, one will
reach the ultimate realization of the Dharmakaya, the enlightened state of
the Primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, within this very lifetime. This is the
best case. If not, then one can be freed in the other three Bardos: the
Bardos of the moment of death, Dharmata and Becoming. Even if this does
not happen, one can still be relieved of suffering and be liberated by the
virtues or blessings of the Dzogchen teachings. Whoever has a connection
with these teachings is: liberated by sight, on seeing the teaching or the
teacher; liberated through hearing, on hearing the teacher or teaching;
liberated through contact, on wearing the precious mantras and scriptures
of Dzogchen; or liberated through taste, and so forth. As a result, one will
be liberated into one of the five nirmanakaya buddha fields.”

is there anything similiar to thogal in other contemplative traditions? buddhist or

not?

Jax: Not that I have been able to find in Tibetan or any Buddhist
traditions. Although there are some references to such practices in Kashmiri
Shaivism and several Sufi sects. When I was in Israel 11/2 years ago with Rabbi's
up in Safed, they had just returned from a session of sky gazing practice that they
do up in the hills above the town. This was a Kabbalistic practice they engage
in. They do know about the realization of the Body of Light which is a goal of
orthodox Kabbalah... but not taught openly. The method was taught to me by
Rabbi Yetsak Ginsburg, the current world authority on Hassidic Kabbalah of the
Lubivitcher chassidum. In the morning you let the sunrise light come into your
eyes and flow down to your heart or tifferet at the point above the aleph... which
represents the presence of Ain Sof. Of course this is identical to thogal where
the Dharmakaya is considered to be situated in the center of the heart as
well. The Sufi systems are different, as when I was studying with my Sufi teacher
in Kashmir, India, he told me to look into the sun's rays at sunrise.
In Kashmiri Shaivism they speak of thigle of light or bindu that look like the eyes
or circles in a peacocks feather. This is the exact analogy used Dzogchen to
describe the thigle as seen in thogal. The Kalachakra teachings also have a
system that has strong similarities regarding the aspects of luminosity.

My book, the Way of Light will go into this in greater detail. I believe Dzogchen
has no historical connection with Buddhism at all but was incorporated into
Buddhism from a much earlier source of central Asian
shamanic Light teachings, possibly as found in the Bon traditions, pre-dating the
influences of Buddhism. Hence current Dzogchen Buddhist empowerments and
typical ngondro preliminaries were late additions. In order to practice Dzogen
one need have no affiliation with Buddhist or Bon traditions, in my
opinion. Dzogchen is simply a science or physics of Clear Light
Awareness. There is no need to treat Dzogchen as a part of any spiritual or
religious tradition anymore than one would treat the subjects of mathematics,
chemistry or physics. This is much more the view Buddha Shakyamuni would have
taken... again in my opinion.

I have often wondered about the themes of the Maha-suññata Sutta and the
Upakkilesa Sutta whether these were the seeds of Trekcho and Thodgal
respectively. The Buddha spoke about attending to internal and external
emptiness, and also to the seeing lights and visions of beautiful forms. This
thought occurs to me, Nothing new has been taught; nothing higher has been
taught. We've been getting refresher courses on the original dispensation. It
occurs to me, Four Jhanas, Four Stages of Arahat, Four Initiations, Four Visions.
The Deity is directed thought of 1st Jhana; Bliss is rapture of 2nd Jhana; Wisdom is
tranquility of 3rd Jhana and Word is the equanimity of the 4th Jhana, because the
Buddha taught to combine Jhana to recognition of impermanence, emptiness and
suffering and to relinquishment and nonattachment. After studying all of this for
years and years, I can't tell you there is a precise fundamental difference in view,
practice or result of any of the so-called "yanas." All differences lurk in the minds
of practitioners who have such and such a view, practice and so-called different
result. I look at suttas in the Atthakavagga of the Sutta Nipata, which may be the
earliest recordings of the Buddha, where the Buddha tells brahmins about no
view, not embracing or rejecting, and about nonperception. No teaching in the
Nine Yanas really exceeds this first one in terms of profundity. Just some things to
keep in mind before you buy that no return ticket to Nepal.

“I find the Bahiya Sutta very, very close to trekcho instructions.”

This is an enjoyable read. It reminds me of some of the games my teacher plays

with me. Saying things like, you must practice everyday or you break your
samaya. Then, I report how I practice every day these many hours and he says,
Your practice is bondage, don't do like this. One time out of no where he said, "I
love you." And later when I was leaving his teaching, I said, "I love you." He said,
"I'm not a Tibeten girl." Then, everyone was laughing at me. Another time he said,
if your visualization is clear, then you get the blessing. Later I would reported how
clear my visualization was if I did such and such. He would say, clear or not clear is
not important. He would tell me to report any experience I had. I reported I feel a
lot of energy in my crown. He laughed at me and said "You are TRYING." I said
"You want me to visualize without trying?" He just "Uh, yea." He even told me to
do non-meditation as I visualize. I reported my visions of Thodgal and he said,
They're illusions. "Did you perhaps as a child make a wish to become God?" I was
floored with that one. Like Know without knowing. Do without doing. Basically,
like get over yourself dude. Let it go. Then, I realized everything illusory comes
about from trying, a view to a future becoming. Letting all that go, at the moment
if seeing nothing, "appearances and possibilities manifest as the dharmakaya."

Dzogchen is an open secret. It is self-secret. The texts and teachers are here,
there, all over, and within. But, even though these are displayed very openly, the
meaning and practice might go right over your head. What you do get, you should
practice. Then, slowly your mind opens more and more, and you gain the capacity
to ask the pertinent questions that cut to the heart of the teachings. At that time,
even if the instruction is not called "togal," you will understand the meaning this
profound practice, for which, there do not exist examples. You must bring
yourself to a level experience, then, this clear light mastery will be your life
forever.

by the way, I never heard Namkhai Norbu say not to read about togal in the years
since I've been his student. If I had heard this, I would not have read anything
about togal. However, since Namdrol refers way back to 1992, I think maybe (my
own presumption) that Namkhai Norbu is perhaps not so concerned about it
anymore.

I must admit, the only reason I got curious was because I kept seeing others talk
about it here on this forum. Specifically, I remember someone asked what makes
Dzogchen different and Sonam said simply "the light." I got it in my head that this
was the crucial matter of Dzogchen teaching and became interested in figuring
out what he was talking about. As far as my personal instruction directly from
Namkhai Norbu has always been, he has only told me to do a couple things:

1. guru yoga is main practice (medium tun or short tun or at least try to say or
think "Ah" and keep that presence; he is certainly not very demanding!)

2. try to be mindful throughout the day

3. do your best
I'm sure he has mentioned togal at some point, but I don't recall him saying not to
read about it. I do remember in a few talks he discussed how you can squint while
looking around the sun and yadda yadda yadda he never explained why you might
want to do this or what the real purpose was. If I am remembering right, it was in
a talk about Zhi, Lam and Dras.

Face it Magnus, people in the DC are _never_ going to agree that they have to do
ngondro, creation stage, completion stage, etc., since our master says that the
tantric approach to these things is not our approach and are not necessary. This is
not the path that ChNN has laid for us.

As you well know, our master, ChNN says the only necessary thing for his students
is Guru Yoga of White A. On the other hand, he also says that since people have
many conditions and circumstances, they should not limit themselves, and this is
why he provides methods such as tara, mandarava, namkha, serkyem, chulen,
yantra, etc.

My 2 cents.

While I certainly have no experience of such things, (if I did I would not, and could
not, say anything). Since I don’t have any experience, I can only give my
intellectual imputations (“knowledge aspect”) of why we might practice Togal.
Because we are all limited in time, it is sincerely hoped that maybe this
simple-minded explanation might encourage someone to practice. Homage to my
Teachers, who gave me permission to practice Togal: Ven. Chatral Rinpoche, Ven.
Do Drupchen Rinpoche and Ven. ChNNR, may they forgive the echoing barks of an
old dog.

May this writing bring all who read this to enlightenment

May this writing bring all who don’t read this to enlightenment.

We practice Togal to realize.

You can call this, "full or complete familiarization with Rigpa."

The way it works is the same as Yangtig, the dark retreat.

The key point is that your mind sees visions (“visionary aspect”) that you see as
real, just like ordinary reality. But these visions originate from internal reality and
you see them informed by this non-intellectual Awareness.

The “leap over” Awareness, then non-intellectually arises, that ALL display of
reality is exactly the same as this naturally, spontaneously and instantaneously
arising, internally / externally generated reality, whether or not there are external
sense objects to fasten the senses to. Informed by this "limit of understanding",
the intellectual mind relaxes beyond understanding into the Natural Mind of
Awareness.

Informed by this Awareness, ALL manifestations, (“manifest way”) whether

internally or externally originated are released / put to rest, without attachment
or aversion arising.

There is absolutely no difference between something occurring internally or

externally.

There is no way to tell, in the moment of occurrence, if something is occurring

internally or externally.

Informed by this impossibility, Awareness rests in its own Nature, not avoiding or
seeking anything.

Yes, it is "like that."

The "like that" is stated, because these are words, and the experience of relaxing
into Rigpa is not of the dimension of words.
You can parse the experience into the various lamps, or just consider it a unified
flow, until the karmic winds exhaust, and the mind simply rests in itself.

Having a visceral, non-intellectual, understanding of the emptiness of all

manifestations, your body (and all external reality) is imbued with the Natural
Light of Awareness, as you have no confidence in any physical manifestation
existing as separate from internal experience. All internal and external reality is
imbued with the Natural Light of Awareness. This is not an intentional action, but
just an unimportant show, or quality, of the Natural Mind.

You can then spontaneously help others, as the occasion arises, though there is
NO conception of you, or others, or any action of helping. Everything is seen as an
unimportant (luminous) display of the Natural Mind. Not helping others, is exactly
the same as helping others, yet you still appear to help others. You don't have the
capacity to say if anything is substantial or non-substantial. Amazing!

Parsing the results of practice into paths and bhumis (as well as all intellectual
pursuits) is no longer of interest or relevant. :smile: This is one of the reasons
that Togal is normally taught after Tregchod. (The Payul lineage appears to
reverse this.)

Togal and Yangtig are short path practices that allow for realization in one
life-time (“superiorities”).

Now you know my 2 cent blah blah as to why we practice Togal and Yangtig.

If you want to practice these paths, you can seek instruction from a realized
Master who Teaches these most special and rare practices. My heartfelt advice is
that you do not attempt to practice these powerfully transformational practices
on your own, but if a lazy old foggy like me can get permission, and do a little
practice, maybe you can too. It is not difficult at all! :smile:

Please do not take offense if I am giving the appearance that I have any
experience of what I am writing here. (We can talk about how I am greedy for
fame after 100 years have past.) I am just a simple-minded parrot mimicking what
I have heard and read.
The key point is that practitioners should not be afraid to practice Togal and
Yangtig. Maybe it won't bring results, and maybe it will. Maybe it will be easy, and
maybe it will be impossible. You don't know unless you try. In my case, for Togal, I
asked for "permission" from three accomplished Masters and then figured that
since all three said that it was Ok to try, that I should do my best and see what
happened. I had originally tried it in Yeshe Lama retreats in 1980 and 1981 and
not so much happened. Then I took it up again in 2001 and 2002 when I was
working in India. I used my Christmas vacation those years to go up to Tso Pema
and see if I could stay in one of the caves above the lake. Lama Wangdor was like
my Dharma grandpa, and helped me find a room near the Gompa above the lake.
I set 2 alarm clocks, and every morning, at 5:30 AM, I would put on my ski gear
against the cold, and, using a flash-light to find my way, went up on top of the
little hill, to where the prayer flags were, and sat in the quiet waiting for the light.
I found a place to sit where I am absolutely sure many had practiced before,
because there was a kind of a chair back in the rock. This time it worked a little
and I was happy with the results. My sense was that it would take a several
month retreat to get more results, but I found that the results were cumulative,
that you could pick up where you left off, and this was heartening.

Because I am lazy, I chose to concentrate on Yangtig and had the great food
fortune to be part of the "Yangtig Club" at Tseygyalgar, which existed for a few
years in the late 80s, early 90s. Each year we would get a new level and then
practice that for a year. The dark retreat cabin near Tseygyalgar is really very
comfortable and cushy. It makes it easy to do the retreat. The whole environment
is designed to help you be ok staying in the dark. There is a big refrigerator and
you can stock up on your favorite munchies, including fruit, veggies and ice
cream. There is a big push-the-top thermos that the attendant keeps full of hot
water and so you can make instant ramen and misu soup, as well as tea,
whenever you want. It is VERY comfortable.

I highly recommend Yangtig, with the caveat that it is not for everyone. If you are
uncomfortable doing any practice, then you stop it and do something else. A very
accomplished practitioner came out of the Yangtig after an hour because he
wasn't comfortable and this was completely correct.

So, don't be discouraged by reports that something is difficult until you try it
yourself. You never know what you may find. So think of the 4 thoughts that
change the mind and the unique qualities of leisure and opportunity that you
have, and with this in mind, make the effort to arrange to get the Togal and
Yangtig teachings from a Master and practice a little. It's up to you. Make the wish
and see what happens.

Don't be put off by someone else's story of difficulties. This is their story, and not
necessarily your story.

Do your best to realize in this life. This is the purpose of Thogal and Yangtig (and
all) practice.

It is of utmost importance to go beyond the "fears" built up in some books like

Dowman's works in which you can read that Thogel is dangerous, etc. This is
nonsense. Once you've entered that Path correctly with guidance, there is
nothing more natural. However, it is not as easy as some people would describe
it. There is a difference in between seeing a couple of thigles and some color and
reaching the 3rd vision. This a Path with effort ('bad-bcas) which demands a lot of
skills. Reaching the first visions is quite easy, but you can be stuck for years and
years in the second one. This is why there are booster teachings (bog 'don) in
Thogel which are of crucial importance.

I also think ChNN gives very solid justifications for his approach. It makes perfect
sense. I'm sure you are quite aware of them, Magnus.

It's not that Ngöndro isn't useful. It may be very useful as any other well done
practice. It's just not the main point by itself. I would say it can become a
hindrance if one gets so attached to it that fails to realize its own essence. From a
Dzogchen perspective, it makes much more sense not to be obliged to perform
any particular practice with fixed numbers, goals and so on. There are very useful
practices one can do to overcome obstacles, whatever they may be, wherever
they come from in terms of yanas. However Guru Yoga is the main practice and
this makes perfect sense from a Dzogchen perspective. What doesn't seem to
make sense from a Dzogchen perspective is the idea of set of templates that fit all
practitioners, whatever their circumstances and capacities, to do a full circle and
end exactly where they started. Is Ngöndro useful? It can be very useful and I
speak from experience. Indispensable? Not a chance. It even goes against the
Dzogchen view to say such a thing and although excellent masters recommend
Ngöndro, none of them is more of an authority than ChNN to his students.

There are many ways to climb the mountain. So far, ChNN presentation seems the
fastest of them all to me. Unfortunately, its so subtle that many miss it, even
while being his students. It's so easy to screw up that we must be very careful so
that we don't understand ChNN wrong, and this is easier than it seems. In my own
experience, I really felt I should empty the cup when I became his student,
otherwise I would be mixing my own preconceptions with his teachings even
without noticing (I'm sure I still do, but to a lesser degree). The result of such
mixture may vary. If having a solid background is definitively helpful, we must
keep the pliancy to learn something new, sometimes scandalously new. If we get
him, that shows in practice very fast. This has been my experience after spending
more than a decade with the tantric approach and a lot of time available to
practice in quite good conditions. You just can't compare it. This has been my
experience and so it is valid for me and me alone.

I realize ChNN teachings may not fit all people, so everyone should do as they
think it's better for themselves. I don't even recommend ChNN to a lot of people
these days as I find his teaching so subtle that I guess the chances of not getting
him are very high. When I started, his teachings seemed easy, very accessible and
nothing special in terms of deepness. That was because I wasn't getting him at all.
I think it it doesn't even matter how much one studies. There's a point when it
clicks and the pieces come together in such a harmony that you have one of those
memorable "aha! moments" that will stay with you from then on. However, if the
secondary circumstances are present, people will get to practice Dzogchen like
that, so there's really no need to say or recommend anything. I'm quite confident
that nobody meets ChNN by chance. Then it's up to us.

When you're in a black retreat, in a complete dark room, you can hear and see
things. These are are hallucionatory experiences. You need this experience to
"convince your mind" that visions are possible.

You need some exercise to have a good and real experience or this will be just a
mind game. The preliminaries in Yeshe Lama involves the three "bodies". I have
some mind maps made in FreeMind to help me with this. You have nirmanakya,
your phisical body and the physical appearance of all things. You have
Sambhogakaya, a type of astral body, this is from the sanskrit Sambhoga that
means sexual intercourse (when you find some sex scene in mandalas, that is
SAMBHOGAkaya). You have Dharmakaya, dharma means many things as nature,
moral etc. Dharmakaya is the real nature of the all things, your real nature. To
train Nirmanakaya you need asanas. To "train" Sambogakhaya you need mantras.
To train or attain or be Dharmakaya you have Thögal and other practices.

Yes, after liberating yourself you can see the sun and see things. What type of
things? Hallucionatory things, like ligths and sounds, balls of light, gods speaking
to your ear. Without trainning this can be just a illlusion.

You need to free yourself in the beginning. Go to a place, practice some relax
(Nirmanakaya), pratice a minute of mantra (Sambhogakaya) and then be yourself.
Be what you want whitout society: masturbate, laugh, run, spit etc. Just be
yourself (if you have some experience in dark retreat, stay in the dark room, then
you can do it more easily).

If you find the trainning the teaching will come to you, with or without help of
someone. Just try.

There is no creation stage, completion stage or deities in Vima Nyinthig.

Rongzom states quite clearly that there is no need for the two stages in the sixth
chapter of his major work -- his approach to Dzogchen works equally well if you
are a tantric practitioner or not.

Plus there is a broad understanding in sems sde, klong sde, etc. that deity yoga is
not necessary.

I don't think Senge Wangchuk was that involved with deity yoga -- there is no
evidence that he emphasized it at all. I am sure he knew it, however. Aro Yeshe
either.

What you did before you practice Dzogchen is not that important. As you agree
already, Dzogchen is not gradual.

I was just reading that ChNN's point of view regarding tantra (extracted from
Dzogchen Teachings) ... it can help to clarifies some points.

Training in pure vision is the samaya, or commitment, of the Tantric teachings.

That is good also for Dzogchen practitioners. For example, if you see your Vajra
brothers and sisters as enlightened beings, as if they were your teachers, you will
never have problems with them. On the other hand, if you always think they are
the ones who are creating difficulties, you will always have problems. Thus, it is
very useful to train a little in pure vision according to the Tantric system. This is
why we also need this knowledge and understanding.

Of course, the methods of the various levels of the path are different. In tantra we
use transformation methods, whereas in Dzogchen the method used is that of
self-liberation. If you understand how Tantric methods work, then, when you
learn the method of self-liberation as it is practiced in Dzogchen, you can better
understand what the difference is between them.

"There is no need for whining contrived prayers (made with) grasping and
attachment.
By letting go in the free natural flow of uncontrived awareness,

Not holding whatever arises, the blessings of self-liberation are obtained.

Through fabricated practice there is no time to achieve enlightenment.

This meditation produced through mental analysis and intellect is a deceiving

enemy.

Now, conceptualization falls apart with the abandon of a madman.

Let this life be spent in a state of uninhibited naked ease!

Whatever one does, joyful; practitioner of the Great Perfection!"

This is probably my favorite section of Buddhist prayer.

These words are the heart advice of some of my Gurus-- Khenpo Tsweang
Dongyal Rinpoche and Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche. They told me to say
this every day, as it is included in a practice text they gave to me.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche outlines the whole path of Dzogchen:

“The practice of Dzogchen or Atiyoga, is to realise the tathagatagarbha, or buddha

nature, which has been present in our nature since the very beginning. Here it is
not sufficient to concentrate on contrived practices that involve intellectual
efforts and concepts; to recognise this Nature, the practice should be utterly
beyond fabrication. The practice is simply to realise the radiance, the natural
expression of wisdom, which is beyond all intellectual concepts. It is the true
realisation of the Absolute Nature just as it is, the ultimate fruition.

At the present moment our awareness is entangled within our mind, completely
enveloped and obscured by mental activity. Through the practice of Trekchö, or
‘cutting through all attachment’, and the ‘direct realization’ of Tögal, one can
unmask this awareness and let its radiance arise.
To accomplish this it is necessary to do the practice of ‘the four ways of leaving
things in their natural simplicity’ (Tib.chokshyak shyi) and through these, to
acquire perfect stability in the Trekchö practice. Then will come the ‘four visions
of tögal’ which are the natural arising of visions of discs and rays of light, deities
and buddha fields. These visions are naturally ready to arise from within the
central channel that joins the heart to the eyes. Such an arising from this channel
will appear in a gradual process. In the same way that the waxing moon will
increase from the first to the fifteenth of the month, these visions will gradually
increase—from the simple perception of dots of light to the full array of the vast
expanse of thesambhogakaya buddha fields. The manifestation of space and
awareness will thus reach its culminating point.

These experiences are not linked with consciousness or intellect as the former
experiences were; they are a true manifestation or radiance of awareness. After
this, in the same way that the moon decreases and disappears from the fifteenth
to the thirtieth of the month, all of these experiences and visions, all phenomena,
will gradually come to exhaustion and reabsorb themselves in the Absolute. At
this time the deluded mind which conceives subject and object will disappear, and
the primal wisdom, which is beyond intellect, will gradually expand. Eventually
one will attain the perfect enlightenment of the Primordial Buddha,
Samantabhadra, endowed with the six extraordinary features.

This is the path intended for people of superior faculties who can achieve
enlightenment in this very lifetime. For those of medium faculties, there is
instruction on how to achieve liberation within the 'Bardo' or ‘intermediate state’.
When we say ‘Bardo’, in fact we recognise four bardos: the Bardo from
conception to death; the Bardo of the moment of death; the Bardo of the
Absolute Nature; and the Bardo of coming into the next existence.

The Bardo between conception and death is our present state. In order to destroy
all deluded perceptions or deluded thoughts in this Bardo, the ultimate practice is
Dzogchen Atiyoga. In this there are the two main paths of Trekchö and Tögal, as
described above. As the ultimate fruition of this practice, the ordinary body made
of gross aggregates will dissolve into the ‘Rainbow Body of Great Transference’ or
‘Vajra-body’, or dissolve without leaving any remnants.

But if one cannot achieve such ultimate attainment within a lifetime, then there is
still the possibility of achieving enlightenment at the time of death. If our teacher
or a close Dharma brother is near to us at the very moment of our death, he will
remind us of the instructions—the introduction to the nature of mind. If we can
recall our experience of practice and remain in this nature, then we achieve
realization. It is then possible to depart to a buddha field straightaway with no
intermediate state. If this is not accomplished, then the Bardo of the Absolute
Nature, or Dharmata, will arise. At this time the Ground Luminosity of the
Dharmakaya will appear. If one can unite the Ground Luminosity (Mother
Luminosity) with the Luminosity which one has recognized whilst practising during
one’s lifetime (Child Luminosity), then one will be liberated into the Dharmakaya.

If one is not liberated at this time, then countless manifestations will appear:
sounds, lights and rays. Great fear will arise because of these emanations and
visions, but if one is a good practitioner one will realize that there is no point in
being afraid. One will know that whatever deities appear, wrathful or peaceful,
they are one’s own projections. The recognition of this assures liberation in a
sambhogakaya buddha field. But if this is not accomplished, then the Bardo of
coming into a new existence will occur. If one practises in the right way at this
time one can be liberated into a nirmanakaya buddha field.

In essence, the primordial nature of the Buddha Samantabhadra is like the ground
or mother-nature of realization. The nature which has been introduced to us by
the teacher is like the child-nature. When these two meet, one will attain full
realization and seize the fortress of Enlightenment.

For ordinary beings unable to achieve liberation either in this life or in the
intermediate state, liberation can be attained in the nirmanakaya buddha fields.

In brief, through the practice of the path of Trekchö and Tögal, one will reach the
ultimate realization of the Dharmakaya, the enlightened state of the Primordial
Buddha Samantabhadra, within this very lifetime. This is the best case. If not, then
one can be freed in the other three Bardos: the Bardos of the moment of death,
Dharmata and Becoming. Even if this does not happen, one can still be relieved of
suffering and be liberated by the virtues or blessings of the Dzogchen teachings.
Whoever has a connection with these teachings is: liberated by sight, on seeing
the teaching or the teacher; liberated through hearing, on hearing the teacher or
teaching; liberated through contact, on wearing the precious mantras and
scriptures of Dzogchen; or liberated through taste, and so forth. As a result, one
will be liberated into one of the five nirmanakaya buddha fields.”

......From a teaching on the Longchen Nyingtik Guru Yoga, given by Kyabje Dilgo
Khyentse Rinpoche in Dordogne, France in August 1984, at the request of Sogyal
Rinpoche and the Rigpa Sangha