Trekcho #2 Introduction

[Guest guest]

" Joyce Short " <insight

 

The following is from an oral commentary on the Trekcho teaching " The Three

Words that Hit the Vital Point " given by Khenpo Sonam Tobgyal Rinpoche.

Sent by " Joyce " to " Victor " as an expression from Awareness, a celebration

of Tibetan Buddhist teachings brought from Tibet to the West by

compassionate and realized beings and passed on here with the motivation

that all sentient beings who have access to this teaching and through its

sincere practice, be free and happy.

 

An even further elaboration of this teaching can be found in " The Golden

Letters " , a translation from the original Tibetan teaching by John Myrdhin

Reynolds.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

" ........all of the teachings of Buddha up to, but not including, the

Luminous Great Perfection, use conceptual mind to tame conceptual mind. The

Great Perfection (Dzogchen) is unique in that it uses wisdom to tame the

mind. The essence of the path of the Great Perfection is the direct

experience of the wisdom that is innate and always present, and the kleshas

and conceptuality are overcome by means of this direct experience of innate

wisdom.

 

The teachings of the Great perfection are said to be very vast. The

original tantras that are the source of the Dzogchen tradition are said to

comprise 6,4000,000 stanzas. However, the essence of all of this is

contained in two practices, each of which corresponds to a quality that is

an aspect of the ground, or basis. The aspect of the ground that is called

" primordial purity " is cultivated in the practice " trekcho " , or

" breakthrough, " and the aspect of the ground that is called " spontaneous

presence " is cultivated in the practice called " thogal " or " leapover. "

 

With regard to Trekcho, all of the many systems of instruction and practical

guidance are summed up in this presentation called the Three Words that Hit

the Point. " This particular presentation of the teachings originated at the

time of the passing of Garab Dorje, the first human teacher of Dzogchen,

when his lineage successor and principle disciple Manjushrimitra supplicated

him with great yearning, and from the midst of an expanse of rainbow light

appearing in space, Garab Dorje spoke and presented these teachings to

Manjushrimitra. it is this presentation, in the form of the Three Words of

Garab Dorje, that we have since relied upon as the ultimate presentation of

Trekcho. This is also sometimes referred to as the final testament of Garab

Dorje.

 

Transmission of the Great Perfection occurs when a teacher who possess the

view and meditation encounters a student who possesses devotion. If the

realization of the teacher and the devotion of the student are of sufficient

magnitude, then whether or not the teacher actually teaches, at some point

there will be an instant recognition on the part of the student, at which

time the student will gain not only recognition but simultaneously will

reach the secure fortress of liberation. "

 

" We see this happening again and again in the history of the lineage. For

example, Nyoshul Lungtok Rinpoche was one of the principle students of

Paltrul Rinpoche. At one time, they were living together in the forest near

Dzogchen Monastery, and one evening at dusk, when Paltrul Rinpoche was

stretched out on his back doing sky gazing practice, he said to Nyoshul

Lungtok, " Did you say you haven't seen the nature of your mind? " Nyoshul

Lungtok replied, " That's right. I haven't. " After a little while, Paltrul

Rinpoche said, " Do you see the stars in the sky? " and Nyoshul Longtok said,

" Yes. " Again, after a little while, Paltrul Rinpoche said, " Do you hear the

dogs barking at the monastery? " and Nyoshul Lungtok said, " Yes. " Then

Paltrul Rinpoche said, " Do you understand our conversation? " and Nyoshul

Lungtok replied, " Yes, " whereupon Paltrul Rinpoche said, " Well, that is your

mind's nature, there is nothing else. "

 

If we look at that interchange, there isn't anything in it we would call

overly dharmic, but at that moment, through the blessing of the transmission

of his teacher, Nyoshul Lungtok recognized the Great Perfection and attained

all the realization that Paltrul Rinpoche had, and their minds were the

same. Most teachers in the Dzogchen lineages have attained realization in

that way, and if you can do that then obviously there is no difficulty

whatsoever. If that is not possible, then one has to study and meditate, to

practice with diligence and cultivate devotion.

 

In that kind of situation where a realized teacher and a truly devoted

student meet, the realization of the student is sparked in a mere instant,

and there is no need for learning, or even for the practice of meditation.

Most of us, however, need a little bit of instruction and need to practice

meditation, and among the systems of meditation the most expeditious is

these " Three Words that Hit the Point, " the final testament of Garab Dorje,

his final statement of the Great Perfection. It was transitted to his

student Manjushrimitra, who gave it to his primary student Shri Singha, who

passed it on to the learned Jnanasutra, who passed it on to the great

pandita Vimalamitra, who passed it on to the great teacher Guru

Padmasambhava, who passed it on to the Lady Yeshe Tsogyal, the translator

Vairocana, the king Trisong Detsen and so on.

 

In short, there was a succession of individuals, first in India and then in

Tibet, who transmitted these teachings throughout the centuries. About six

hundred years ago there appeared an individual who is usually referred to as

the Omniscient Longchenpa, the " omniscient embodiment of vast space. " He

held all of these lineages and beyond merely holding them, he brought about

the fundamental rekindling of this tradition. Longchenpa's influence was

like the sun of the Great Perfection rising at dawn. He attained full and

complete realization of the Luminous Great Perfection with the result that

he had penetrating insight not into the nature of all things but also into

all areas of knowledge, and it is for that reason that we usually refer to

him as the Omniscient Longchenpa.

 

Aside from having attained full realization and teaching his students, he

also composed many treatises that are considered to be unexcelled in their

thoroughness and profundity. Generally speaking, his major writings can be

divided into two groups which were written for two fundamentally different

purposes. For the benefit of those who delight in the vastness of the

teachings of the Great perfection, who are " panditas " who are learned and

particularily intelligent, he wrote what he called his " Seven Treasures

(ies?) "

 

For those who delight in the profundity rather than the vastness of the

teachings, who are simple practitioners, or " kusulus " which means yogins, he

composed what are called the " Four Branches of the Heart Drop, or the

" Nyingthig Yabshi. " This actually consists of five volumes but it is called

four. Those are his most famous writings. All of his writings are

expositions in one way or the other of the Great Perfection, and because of

his importance, we would have to say that nowadays all practice in any

lineage of the Great Perfection is based either directly or indirectly on

his presentation of it.

 

More history continues and the introduction finishes with.....

 

If you look at Paltrul Rinpoche's many compositions which comprise five

volumes as they are generally printed, one thing you will notice about his

style of writing and of presenting himself as a writer that he is completely

devoid of any kind of arrogance. He never refers to himself or his

scholarship, and he hardly ever presents anything on his own authority,

There is a sense of overriding modesty that pervades all his writings.

 

On the other hand, the title of this text, this exposition of the Three

Words, is the " Special Teaching of Khepa Shri Gyalpo, " the special teaching

of the learned King Shri. Shri is a Sanskrit word that means " glorious " or

" magnificent " and it is a translation of the Tibetan word " Pal " which is the

first part of Paltrul Rinpoche's name or title; he was called " Palgyi

Trulku " or " Paltrul, " the glorious tulku. Why is he referring to himself in

this text as the " Learned Glorious King, " when normally he refers to himself

as the " tattered beggar? " Unlike most of his compositions, which deal with

the various subjects at various levels, this particular text presents

directly the secret instructions of Dzogchen meditation that are normally

only transmitted orally. Because he is presenting such an extraordinary

teaching directly, it is necessary that he be frank in this case and even

avoid the device of modesty. This completes our teaching on the provenance

of the text that we are studying. "

[Guest guest]

At 04:03 PM 2/13/2000 -0500, you wrote:

>Victor Torrico <vtorrico

 

> " ........all of the teachings of Buddha up to, but not including, the

>Luminous Great Perfection, use conceptual mind to tame conceptual mind.

 

Interesting parallel to Jnana Yoga as described by Advaita Vedanta:

" Transcending the intellect through the intellect. " So Dzogchen is the

same as Jnana Yoga.

 

>The Great Perfection (Dzogchen) is unique in that it uses wisdom to tame the

>mind. The essence of the path of the Great Perfection is the direct

>experience of the wisdom that is innate and always present, and the kleshas

>and conceptuality are overcome by means of this direct experience of innate

>wisdom.

 

Yes, this is Jnana Yoga, exactly.

 

With Love,

 

Tim

 

-----

Sum Ergo Sum

 

Visit " The Core " Website at http://coresite.cjb.net -

Music, Poetry, Writings on Nondual Spiritual Topics.

Tim's other pages are at http://core.vdirect.net

[Guest guest]

NO - read what you wrote - ALL the Buddhist teachings EXCEPT Dzogchen use

conceptual mind to tame conceptual mind - Dzogchen uses our innate wisdom!

 

You have to use the intellect to study and comprehend the practice

directions and then its a practice of breaking through all fixations of

body/ mind, especially this fixation " I " . But breakthrough doesnt mean that

there is a problem with anything that arises in our experience - quite the

opposite - one can mellow a little and relax, stuff still happens, life is

always changing, you just recognize it for what it is - Actually, both Zen

and Vipassana practice also have the same results as Dzogchen.

 

Well, I think we have to be careful when comparing different practices, and

in Buddhism you really stick to the practice as given without any

embellishments or changes. I think its like baking a cake, stick to the

recipe until you are a master chef and can then get creative.

 

Ive only had a taste of Jnana Yoga. I don't know if in Jnana Yoga there is

the " recognition " of thoughts as being of the nature of innate wisdom or

naked awareness and this is the essence of the practice of Trekcho. This

RECOGNITION and then the non stop maintanence of this recognition. I have

found that Advaita Yoga in the sense of asking " Who Am I " and then tuning

into what is immediately present and recognizing what is there - very

helpful in breaking through fixations on thoiughts similar to what is asked

for in Trekcho (its a lot easier to ask " Who Am I " while sitting on a bus

going downtown than to shout PHAT! as called for in trekcho)- but I don't

know enough about Jnana Yoga beyond a few concepts. In Buddhism, it is

important to understand the conceptual level of the various teachings and

then proceed to practice to experience for yourself the truth of what is

taught and then also check out your results with a realized master.

 

For instance, there is no contemplation of anything called " free will " in

Buddhism because to have " free will' you have to have a self that has this

supposed free capacity. Buddhism doesnt say there is a self, doesnt say

there isnt, it addresses the truth of suffering, how it arises and how

sentient beings can become free. The closest thing to " free will' would be

Right Thought, Right Action etc. etc. One starts with Dependent Origination

to understand how nature works both as relative truth and ultimate truth so

to speak and how we get into trouble and then ends up leading to an

understanding, or most importantly, the experience of all, as our own

awareness as " magical display. "

 

Have a magical day -

 

Joyce

 

 

.........all of the teachings of Buddha up to, but not including, the

>>Luminous Great Perfection, use conceptual mind to tame conceptual mind.

>

> Interesting parallel to Jnana Yoga as described by Advaita Vedanta:

> " Transcending the intellect through the intellect. " So Dzogchen is the

> same as Jnana Yoga.

>

>>The Great Perfection (Dzogchen) is unique in that it uses wisdom to tame the

>>mind. The essence of the path of the Great Perfection is the direct

>>experience of the wisdom that is innate and always present, and the kleshas

>>and conceptuality are overcome by means of this direct experience of innate

>>wisdom.

>

> Yes, this is Jnana Yoga, exactly.

>

> With Love,

>

> Tim

>

> -----

> Sum Ergo Sum

>

> Visit " The Core " Website at http://coresite.cjb.net -

> Music, Poetry, Writings on Nondual Spiritual Topics.

> Tim's other pages are at http://core.vdirect.net

>

> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------

>

> GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds. Get rates as low as 0.0 percent

> Intro or 9.9 percent Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW.

> <a href= " http://clickme./ad/NextcardCreative5CL " >Click Here</a>

>

> ------

>

> ..........INFORMATION ABOUT THIS LIST..........

>

> Email addresses:

> Post message: Realization

> Un: Realization-

> Our web address: http://www.realization.org

>

> By sending a message to this list, you are giving

> permission to have it reproduced as a letter on

> http://www.realization.org

> ................................................

>