Rdzogs Chen

This study concerns the rDzogs-chen tradition and its relationship to other traditions during the early decades of the twentieth century. This was an era of flourishing scholasticism among the non-dGe-lugs schools in Eastern Tibet, especially the rNying-ma and Sa-skya. It was also a period when a supposed non-sectarian (ris med) movement occurred. These two developments—in education and intersectarian relations—are at the heart of this inquiry.

Following a brief introduction, which discusses the notion of tradition in the context of Tibetan Buddhism, Chapter One charts the expansion of scholasticism among the non-dGe-lugs schools. The same chapter also explores the non-sectarian movement. Chapters Two and Three then focus on the writings of the Third rDo-grub-chen, ’Jigs-med bstan-pa’i-nyi-ma (1865–1926). They consider his role as an authority within the tradition and his repeated comparisons of rDzogs-chen to Highest Yoga Tantra. Chapter Four then focuses on a text by g.Yu-khog Chos-dbyings-rang-grol (1871–1952), a follower of ’Jigs-med bstan-pa’i-nyi-ma. This short work is of particular interest because it demonstrates the influence of the scholar ’Ju Mi-pham rnam-rgyal rgya-mtsho (1846–1912) on the rDzogs-chen preliminaries. Finally, Chapter Five turns to the writings of mDo-sngags Chos-kyi rgya-mtsho (1903–1957), who advocated a synthesis of rNying-ma and dGe-lugs ideas.

This paper presents an examination, translation and edition of the Byang chub sems bsgom pa'i rgyud, or Tantra of Meditation on Bodhicitta, an early work of the rDzogs chen Mind Series. It also explores its relationship to another  famous  rDzogs chen text, the rDo la gser zhun.

According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition ‘The Great Perfection’ (rDzogs pa chen po), we can distinguish between two basic dimensions of mind: an intentional dimension that is divided into perceiver and perceived and a non-dual dimension that transcends all distinctions between subject and object. The non-dual dimension is evident through its intuitional characteristics; an unbounded openness that is free from intentional limitations, a spontaneous luminosity which presences all phenomena, and self-awareness that recognizes the original resonance of beings. Owing to these characteristics, the descriptions of this dimension exemplify an integrative way of speaking about primordial reality, which resolves the assumed dichotomy between kataphatic and apophatic discourses by pointing to a dimension that pervades all phenomena without being identified with any of those. In this article I intend to discuss the characteristics of the non-dual dimension and their implications for our understanding of human consciousness and the inherent co-emergence of positive and negative perceptions of reality.

Revue d'Études Tibétaines, n° 43, [Jan. 2018], p. 196-255)

http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ret/pdf/ret_43_07.pdf

A History of the practice manuals (khrid yig) of the dGongs pa zang thal (in French), exploring all the available published materials, especially the Kaḥ thog writers (ca. 16th Century), the Central Tibetan tradition (17th-18th century) and then of course the large manual by sPrul sku Tshul lo (1884-1957) that I translated in French (Manuel de la Transparution Immédiate, Le Cerf, November 2016).

Abstract : The present article is a slightly enriched English version of a paper originally published in French in 2018 under the title: "Histoire des manuels de pratique du dGongs pa zang thal," in the n° 43 (Etudes rDzogs chen-Volume I) of the Revue d'Etudes Tibétaines (pp. 196-255).

The present article is a slightly enriched English version of a paper originally published in French in 2018 under the title: "Histoire des manuels de pratique du dGongs pa zang thal," in the n° 43 (Etudes rDzogs chen-Volume I) of the Revue d'Etudes Tibétaines (pp. 196-255).

The Buddhist vision of liberation is intimately related with an experiential state that transcends intentionality, temporality and causality, owing to its non-directed, unchanging and unconditioned nature. As such, this vision reveals a novel mode of non-dual awareness, which is not divided into perceiving subject and perceived objects. In order to directly recognize this mode, several Buddhist traditions utilized diverse contemplative instructions that were meant to dissolve the intending tendencies of consciousness. This paper discusses one of these traditions – 'The Great Perfection' (Tib. rDzogs pa chen po) – which affirms an inherent experiential state that is open, luminous and all-encompassing. For the sake of realizing such a state, this tradition advocates a contemplative approach which emphasizes relaxation, spaciousness and non-intending. Through its view and practices, 'The Great Perfection' introduces a vision of lived experience that goes beyond the structures of intentional consciousness and entails a reassessment of our basic assumptions about human awareness.

This article focuses on the main contemplative principles of the
‘Heart Essence’ (sNying thig), a Tibetan Buddhist tradition that is
characterized by a vision of non-duality and primordial wholeness.
Due to this vision, which asserts an original reality that is not divided into perceiving subject and perceived object, the ‘Heart Essence’ advocates a contemplative practice that undermines the
usual intuitions of temporality and enclosed selfhood. Hence, unlike the common principles of intentional praxis, such as deliberate
concentration and gradual purification, the ‘Heart Essence’ affirms
four contemplative principles of non-objectiveness, openness, spontaneity and singleness. As these principles transcend intentionality,
temporality, and multiplicity, they are seen to directly disclose the
nature of primordial awareness, in which the meanings of knowing and being are radically transformed. Therefore, the article will
also consider the role of these non-dual contemplative principles in
deeply changing our understanding of being and knowing alike.

Die vorliegende Hausarbeit beschäftigt sich mit der tibetisch-buddhistischen Erwachungspra-xis namens Dzogchen (tib. rdzogs pa chen po), die die wesentliche Kernlehre des Buddhas repräsentiere. Die Etymologie des Begriffs beschreibt der Religionswissenschaftler John Myrdhin Reynolds wie folgt:
The Tibetan term Dzogchen (rdzogs-pa chen-po, Skt. mahasandhi) has usually been translated into English as the Great Perfection. This teaching is so called because it is complete and perfect (rdzogs-pa) in itself, with nothing lacking, and because there exists nothing higher or greater (chen-po) than it. 
Nach einer allgemeinen Einführung in die philosophischen Grundlagen dieser Lehre im zwei-ten Kapitel, werden im anschließenden Hauptteil der Arbeit die verschiedenen (möglichen) Einflüsse auf die Dzogchen-Lehren beschrieben...