The Dzogchen Primer

by Marcia Schmidt

  Honestly, if one has received the teachings on mind essence and then practices the preliminaries while remembering to recognize the nature of mind, it multiplies the effect tremendously. It is taught that to practice with a pure attitude multiplies the effect 100 times, while to practice with pure samadhi multiplies the effect 100,000 times. Combine the preliminaries with the recognition of mind essence and your practice will be tremendously effective.

  You could also practice the preliminaries with simply a good and sincere attitude, and this alone will definitely purify your negative karma. But a good attitude in itself does not suffice as the true path to enlightenment. If you embrace these practices with the correct view of recognizing mind essence, however, the preliminaries become the actual path to enlightenment. If you have a painting of a candle, can it somehow generate light in the room? Wouldn’t it be better to have the actual candle flame spreading light? There is only one way to be free from the threefold concepts, and that is to recognize the true view. I do not feel there is anything inappropriate in giving the pointing-out instruction to people. They can practice the preliminaries afterwards. It is perfectly fine.5

  In particular, The Dzogchen Primer begins with instilling confidence in ourselves. We can attain buddhahood because we already possess the potential, the buddha nature, which is the powerful starting point addressed in part 2. But how do we know from the outset that buddha nature is intrinsic to our being? As Tsoknyi Rinpoche has said, “It is substantiated without us ever having to be told, without us having to be indoctrinated, influenced, or conditioned to the idea that we have buddha nature, the capacity for enlightenment. That is because everyone has the spontaneous quality sometimes, of being free in one’s state of mind, of being insightful, bright, clear, wide open, which doesn’t come from anywhere, other than within ourselves. These are all proofs that we have the ability to be fully free, awakened or a buddha and is why we can be enlightened.”6 Moreover, that we feel love, kindness and compassion, and the wish to be a spiritual person are all additional indications of buddha nature. Accepting the potential and revealing the methods to recognize and stabilize that recognition was Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche’s way. It is also the basis for the arrangement of great texts such as The Light of Wisdom and The Jewel Ornament of Liberation.

  The fruition is present at the time of the ground, only it is not yet actualized. All the various practices offered in part 3, Integration, are done to unify ground and fruition. There is no separate path, nothing else to blend with, nothing other than this.

  To reiterate, The Primer combines study and practice from the approach of both the simple meditator and the simple scholar. Stylistically, it unfolds this according to the teaching method of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and the two above-mentioned texts. Practically, it includes pieces that support this tradition and are simple, direct, profound, and easy to comprehend.

  The idea for The Dzogchen Primer originated after many years of organizing seminars as well as translating and sitting in on private interviews with qualified masters. Being familiar with my fellow students’ recurring questions, problems, and misunderstandings, I decided to devise a study and practice program that was easy to undertake and comprehend and that closely followed the teaching method of my teacher, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. This uncomplicated plan for study and practice is tailored for working Sangha who might not be able to commit to a time-consuming study program but still want to delve into the Dzogchen teachings. This first volume, The Dzogchen Primer, covers material for the first year of the program, based on The Light of Wisdom, The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, and, in the style of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, the Four Dharmas of Gampopa, a complete path for enlightenment within itself.

  The first of the Four Dharmas, “How to turn one’s mind toward Dharma practice,” includes the four mind-changings. “How to ensure that one’s Dharma practice becomes the path” embodies teachings on the preliminary practices. “How to make the path clarify confusion” contains teachings on development stage, recitation, and completion stage. Finally, “How to let confusion dawn as wisdom” comprises teachings on how to gain certainty, realization of the natural state by means of the three great views of Dzogchen, Mahamudra, and Madhyamika.

  This volume encompasses the first of the Four Dharmas and part of the second. The two subsequent volumes will continue from the second Dharma through to the end of the fourth Dharma. The material and program connected to them include advice for deity practice and conceptual and nonconceptual meditation, among other things.

  The Dzogchen Primer can be used by beginning students as well as longtime practitioners who serve as teachers at their local Dharma centers. These facilitators can use it as a veritable textbook for their students, an accessible sourcebook. Newer students will be able to find, in a single source, a complete outline of the entire path as well as in-depth explanations of each part of that path, along with ways to apply these teachings to their own practice. The facilitator guidelines at the end of the book provide an outline for further reading to support group discussions of chapters. The book adapts the presentation of the Dzogchen path for the modern student, while using traditional principles; among key topics, for example, are renunciation, compassion, devotion, and recognizing mind nature.

  Moreover, The Primer can serve as a support for students who do not have a teacher or a center close by, to help them carry on in the right direction. It provides background material to use for inspiration and encouragement. However, a book can never substitute for meeting genuine, realized lineage masters of the Dzogchen and Mahamudra traditions. It is crucial that students include in their programs time to participate in important teachings and retreats with such masters.

  To conclude, I would like to quote Sogyal Rinpoche once more: “The future of humanity is linked to the accessibility of spiritual teachings like the Buddha Dharma. This, I think, by any analysis, is clear, and it is the practicality and ingenuity of the West that can make the Dharma more accessible. There is an almost desperate hunger and need, in countries like America, for spiritual vision. I feel that the Buddha Dharma can play a great part in answering this need for all kinds of people, and in building a spiritual culture here in the West.”7

  MARCIA BINDER SCHMIDT

  Nagi Gompa

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Sincere gratitude goes to Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, who gave essential points to adhere to, and to Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche, who helped chart the course from the beginning and conscientiously examined the manuscript to prevent any mistakes. Moreover, many thanks to my husband, Erik Pema Kunsang, the translator of many of these pieces, who coached on difficult points as well as supplied needed material, and to Stephen Goodman, who infused this project with his remarkable enthusiasm. Special mention must go to Michael Tweed, who transcribed and edited the two introductions, looked over the manuscript, and gave many helpful suggestions. Of course, this book would not have come into being without the skillful staff at Shambhala Publications.

  May this work be a contributing cause for the many hidden Dzogchen yogis in the West to advance further on the path, to reach accomplishment, and to benefit countless beings!

  PART ONE

  INTRODUCTORY TEACHINGS

  INTRODUCTION

  Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche

  One of our main tasks as human beings is to seek and to discover what is real and true. We must use intelligence as our main tool and sound reason as the verifier. That is all we have at this point. However, as we go about deepening our understanding, we still carry one problem with us: this mind that reasons so intelligently is still basically confused. Therefore, every “insight” is saturated by confusion. I am sorry to say it so bluntly, but human understanding is confused. It is not unmistaken wisdom, and it is not authentic until complete enlightenment. Can we admit that we are not yet enlightened?

  The awakened state of a buddha is one of perceiving clearly, distinctly, and completely the nature of things and all that exists. It is a wisdom that
knows things as they are without confusion, without distortion. This is why we ordinary human beings cannnot avoid seeking support in the words and teachings of a buddha.

  These days we find a variety of religions, belief systems, and schools of thought; I am not sure why this is, but I believe that it is an expression of people’s individual karma and past inclinations. Most spiritual people regard the Buddha as a wise teacher and proponent of peace. Some place the Buddha on the same level as the founder of their own religion, some lower. It is natural to feel that “my philosophy, my religion, is the truest. The words our founder spoke are the most sublime, the clearest picture of reality.” It is human nature to believe that what we have is the best. Often, because of such belief, people tend to regard everyone else’s view or spiritual path as dead wrong and leading them astray. So, as we find ourselves in this diverse global society there is no point, when addressing the public, to begin by saying, “Our Buddha, and only our Buddha, is right and true!”

  To be honest, the self-supporting trait of human nature is nothing new; it has always been like this. That is why the tradition of Buddhist studies has always placed emphasis on testing the validity of the Buddha’s words and the statements of later masters by means of intelligent reasoning. The intellect uses logic to create a reliable support.

  In recent centuries, there has been an ascendancy in philosophical views that emphasize material reality; these include modern science. Inventiveness, in terms of products and technologies, is glorified. Similarly, we see that new ways of thinking that distance themselves from the past have become popular and are applauded. Contemporary society seems to be fascinated with novelty. Anyone who can come up with something new that has never been seen before—a new perspective, a new way of thinking—automatically becomes the founding father of a new “religion.” Isn’t it true that schoolchildren are taught that Albert Einstein was a fabulous genius, the founder of a new way?

  Today we see a heightened interest in the Buddha’s teachings throughout the world; there is a lot of contact between people of various backgrounds and the traditional teachings of the Buddha. It is my impression that Westerners who are new to Buddhism often feel more comfortable with a teacher who is well versed in psychology or science—even one who has only a cursory understanding of what the Buddha taught—than with a well-educated Buddhist master. This is understandable considering their upbringing.

  Someone who teaches Buddhism while downplaying the Buddha and what he taught is received with open arms and tends to become quite popular, respected and regarded as an authority. Also, for instance, someone who expediently says, “Bowing down is useless” receives immediate applause. “There is no need to do ngöndro, the preliminary practices. It’s just a Tibetan cultural artifact”—louder applause. It is human nature to prefer ease and dislike hardship, and catering to this attitude will always be popular. Those who want to adapt their teachings to people’s weaknesses and brand it “Buddhism” will likely become popular leaders of a new movement. New followers will exclaim, “Your style is so free and open—I like it!”

  I cannot, at present, say whether this is good or evil; it is merely an observation. Just the same, if you are concerned with a Buddhism of authentic value, I would suggest that we give center stage to the Buddha surrounded by the great masters of the lineage, the learned and accomplished masters of India and Tibet. Actually, I consider this of vital importance for the future of the Dharma.

  I know that the new is often preferred over the old. This is reflected in the fact that publishing books on Buddhism that present translations of the words of former masters is not regarded as that praiseworthy. Rather, if one of you were to rewrite a classic treatise in your own words or make a comparative study to show conflict or harmony between scholars, such a book would be regarded as special.

  My main point is that the original words of the Buddha are very important.

  In relation to the above, it is a fact that Marcia and Erik Schmidt have worked with me for many years, and we have deep affection for one another. They have often repeated that my teaching style is suitable for our time and should be published in one book after another. Of course, I try my best, but in my heart I feel that translating original scriptures is far more vital for the transmission of the Dharma to the West. I would prefer studies to be anchored in the authoritative works of the great masters. They are and should remain the common ground for all Buddhist teachings.

  If Dharma studies become centered upon one single living person such as myself, there is a danger that people will intermingle the teachings with their own personal likes and dislikes—some people like me, some hate me, some trust me, others don’t. Even during Nagarjuna’s time, a climate of debate and counter-arguments prevailed in India, and some Buddhists accused him of distorting the Buddha’s words. The same thing happened to Padmasambhava. That is why we should give the original words of the Buddha special emphasis.

  In the framework for Buddhist studies found in this book, the first main point concerns our basic material, our basic ground—our buddha nature. I feel it is important that we gain some comprehension of this point. Next is the path stage, our present situation that proceeds from the occurrence of confusion. What does this confusion consist of? How is it perpetuated? What is being confused and how? How sound is the tendency to maintain a duality of perceiver and perceived? How do we fool ourselves into believing in a self? How does this confusion trigger karmic actions, emotions, and further tendencies? These are important topics, and we must admit that we are confused. We are in the middle of a chain reaction that has already begun. We cannot cleverly step around it and feign purity and enlightenment. We are already confused; that is our present situation. The next step is to understand that our situation is not irreparable. The tendency to confuse does not have to be repeated forever.

  One of the essential points in Buddhism is that confusion is only a temporary event and not our basic nature. Therefore, confusion can dissolve, be cleared up, and cease. This is where Buddhist practice comes in, because the general methods and the extraordinary Vajrayana instructions are the practical tools for dissolving the tendencies of confusion.

  At this point, the question often comes up whether a beginner can find his or her own way by reading a few books and doing a little sitting practice. I am sorry to say that the confused mind is not its own solution. Some support is necessary. We usually refer to this support as refuge: the Triple Gem, the Three Precious Ones—Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

  In our immediate experience the most effective support is the Dharma, because when we hear a truly valid statement and method, think it over until it is clear, and then put it to use, its validity is proven by its clearing up our otherwise mistaken and bewildered state. Without our doing this, the confusion would have continued its own habit.

  Because the teachings and their authentic value are a reality in their minds, we receive the Dharma from the present holders of the living lineage. Someone who has realized the end of confusion can genuinely represent the Buddha’s lineage, and such an ambassador is called Sangha. The advice that he or she imparts is the Dharma, and the source of such valuable instruction is the Buddha. This is why the Three Jewels are called precious. The reason for this is experiential and not merely a belief. Belief is tenuous and often blind.

  If mere belief is the common denominator to spirituality, then anything goes. Isn’t it true that every religion regards its particular system of beliefs as extremely important? I doubt there is any exception in this regard. But most often there is a point where reason is abandoned, where you are no longer encouraged or allowed to ask why, or there is simply no answer:

  “The divine principle created everything.”

  “Why?”

  “It is the teaching, and so it is my belief.”

  Often faith involves pleasing either a universal or an individual god: “God is supreme. I am inferior. If I please God, with my love and loyalty, he will protect me and save me
. This is my main task—faith alone will save me. Why? Because the power to save is in his hands, not in mine. I must respect him and not make him upset. If I do it well, then at some point he will transport me to a safe place.” I am not rejecting people’s holding of beliefs. I am just saying that such belief does not withstand much intelligent scrutiny.

  Interestingly enough, faith is also regarded as vital in the practice tradition of Buddhism, but the defining quality of Buddhist faith is radically different. It is referred to as “trust through knowing the reason.” How does one know the reason? We know it by applying the pith instructions. When we do so, the actual experience of nonduality gives rise to trust in the teaching that provides for this experience. In this way, we can be free from even the slightest doubt. Such trust is due to knowing the reason, namely that applying the Dharma liberates confusion. The Sangha introduces us to this fact, and the Buddha is the source. Hence, the Three Jewels are interconnected with our own practice. We can have true trust.

  Trust and pure perception are two essentials in Vajrayana practice, and when brought vividly alive in our personal experience, they open a door to direct recognition of the original wakefulness that is the nature of emptiness.

  In the general teachings of the Buddha, devotion can often be understood as admiration and a fondness for understanding. The more sincerely interested a practitioner is in realizing the empty nature of personal identity and of the identity of things, the closer he or she comes to realizing it. While in Vajrayana devotion is regarded as one thought among all other thoughts, it is the most potent, the most effective. In this sense it is equal to another type of thought state, that of compassion. These two are considered the most noble and most powerful. It is their immense power and goodness that succeeds in interrupting all other kinds of thoughts, especially the unwholesome types.