Semde teachers & teachings

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Bhusuku
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Semde teachers & teachings

Post by Bhusuku »

Almost all I know about the Semde teachings is from the work of ChNN. AFAIK, Tulku Urgyen and Khenchen Palden Sherab also taught some Semde, but are there any living teachers (beside ChNN) that teach Semde these days?

And does anybody have some reading suggestions on Semde in english, german or spanish (beside the material that’s available in the Dzogchen community)? Until now, I only found some translations of the early 5 tantras, and Khenchen Palden Sherab’s “Pointing Out the Nature of the Mind: Dzogchen Pith Instructions of Aro Yeshe Jungne” (which seems impossible to get here in Europe), as well as some material by Germano and Karmay, and the "Revue d'Etudes Tibetains" from october 2012, containing studies in the sems sde tradition. So, any further reading suggestions would be highly appreciated!
Russell
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by Russell »

http://shangshung.org/store/index.php?m ... =jim+valby

This is by Jim Valby from DC but maybe you missed it, it is 5 volumes and is a translation of a commentary on the Kunjed Gyalpo, and it includes the root text itself. So a lot of great stuff there.
Norwegian
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by Norwegian »

Bhusuku,

That book is not impossible to get in Europe. Buy via Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0983407401/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by heart »

This is an very relevant and wonderful book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Image-V ... 1590300696" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut

"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
Bhusuku
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by Bhusuku »

many thanks for your suggestions, guys!

@ Soar: I'm aware of Valby's work, but I don't have it yet, as I'm waiting until I have the dough to buy all volumes at once.

@ Norwegian: last time I checked, Amazon.com had the book listed, but there were no copies available, now it's obviously available again via a bookshop from New York, and I ordered it right away!

@ heart: I read A.W. Hanson-Barber's dissertation on the Life and Teachings of Vairocana, which includes the translation of Vairocana's hagiography. Does the book you mentioned include another translation of the same text?
Bhusuku
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by Bhusuku »

I thought it might be useful for some people here if I share the material connected with Semde I came across so far (also included is some material on the A-Khrid tradition, as it shares many similarities with the Semde tradition):


Works by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu:

An Introduction to the Practice of Contemplation [restricted text]

The Four Contemplations of the Semde (Teachings given in Merigar, 1984) [restricted text]

The Four Contemplations of the Semde (Transcription of oral teachings given in Nea Macri, Greece in December 1986) [restricted text]

Shine and Lhagthong in the Dzogchen Teaching [restricted text]

Teachings on Semde by Sodogpa Lodro Gyaltsen [restricted text]

Longsal Teachings, Vol. 2 (includes "The Upadesha of Introduction to the State of Ati" (A ti’i dgongs pa ngo sprod kyi man ngag)) [restricted text]

Rigbai Kujyug: Six Vajra Verses


Translations of Semde tantras:

Adriano Clemente, Elio Guarisco, Jim Valby: The Marvellous Primordial State

Adriano Clemente: The Supreme Source

Jim Valby: Two Dzogchen Texts (includes "The Primordial State of the King of Space" (byang chub sems nam mkhai'rgyal po))

Jim Valby: Kunjed Gyalpo Series

Karen Liljenberg: The Lamp of the Three Realms

Karen Liljenberg: "The Cuckoo of Awareness" (Rig pa'i Khu Byug)

Karen Liljenberg: "The Small Hidden Grain" (sBas pa'i rGum Chung)

Keith Dowman: Original Perfection: Vairotsana's Five Early Transmissions

Keith Dowman: The Flight of the Garuda: The Dzogchen Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism



Other material:

Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche: Pointing Out the Nature of the Mind: Dzogchen Pith Instructions of Aro Yeshe Jungne

Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche: Lion's Gaze: A Commentary on Tsig Sum Nedek

Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines: Studies in the Sems sde tradition of rDzogs chen (Octobre 2012)

Jacob Dalton, Sam van Schaik: Lighting the Lamp: An Examination of the Structure of the Bsam gtan mig sgron

Carmen Meinert: Structural Analysis of the bSam gtan mig sgron

Giuseppe Baroetto: La dottrina dell'atiyoga nel bSam gtan mig sgron di gNubs chen Sangs rgyas ye shes

Kent G. Johnson: The Rdzogs-Chen Distinction Between Mentation and Excitatory Intelligence

David Higgins: The Philosophical Foundations of Classical rDzogs Chen in Tibet

A. W. Hanson-Barber: The Life and Teachings of Vairocana

Yudra Nyingpo (Compiler), Ani Jinba Palmo (Translator): The Great Image: The Life Story of Vairochana the Translator


(Warning: the following 2 links lead to an artice & a book by rather controversial teachers who's names I won't mention here, however, I found these teachings useful anyway...)

rDzogs Chen: The importance of Sem-dé

Roaring Silence: Discovering the Mind of Dzogchen



Material from the Bonpo A-Khrid tradition:

Bru-sgom rGal-ba Gyung-drung (Author), Per Kværne (transl.): The Stages of A-Khrid Meditation: Dzogchen Practice of the Bon Tradition

Per Kværne: Bonpo Studies: The A Khrid System of Meditation, part 1

Per Kværne: Bonpo Studies: The A Khrid System of Meditation, part 2

Jean-Luc Achard: The Instructions on the Primordial A



PS: If anybody knows of other Semde relevant material to add to this list, please post it, it would be very much appreciated!
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by heart »

Bhusuku wrote:@ heart: I read A.W. Hanson-Barber's dissertation on the Life and Teachings of Vairocana, which includes the translation of Vairocana's hagiography. Does the book you mentioned include another translation of the same text?
I haven't read A.W. Hanson-Barber's dissertation, but Ani Jiba is long-time student of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche so I trust that translation.

/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut

"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
pensum
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by pensum »

heart wrote:
Bhusuku wrote:@ heart: I read A.W. Hanson-Barber's dissertation on the Life and Teachings of Vairocana, which includes the translation of Vairocana's hagiography. Does the book you mentioned include another translation of the same text?
I haven't read A.W. Hanson-Barber's dissertation, but Ani Jiba is long-time student of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche so I trust that translation.
/magnus
Hanson-Barber's dissertation is pretty good, worth it just for the translation of Sri Singha's commentary on the Heart Sutra, which is a wonderful text.
Vasana
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by Vasana »

http://shechen.org/publications/books/z ... testament/

The concentration and wisdom sections from a commentary on Zurchungpa’s Testament by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche are based on the "later mind section".
'When thoughts arise, recognise them clearly as your teacher'— Gampopa
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
florin
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by florin »

Soar wrote:http://shangshung.org/store/index.php?m ... =jim+valby

This is by Jim Valby from DC but maybe you missed it, it is 5 volumes and is a translation of a commentary on the Kunjed Gyalpo, and it includes the root text itself. So a lot of great stuff there.
For this series of KG there are 8 volumes .
Vol.1-4 on developing prajna through study
Vol.5 on developing prajna through reflection
Vol.6 .on developing prajna through meditation
Vol.7 longchenpa's comentaries Kunjed Dudon and Rinchen Druwo on the text.
Vol.8 root text.
mutsuk
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by mutsuk »

Jean-Luc Achard :
http://khyungmkhar.blogspot.fr/2016/05/ ... u-des.html
This is JLA's notes on the practice of Longchenpa's Rinchen Druwo, together with a schedule program.

http://khyungmkhar.blogspot.fr/2012/05/ ... sprit.html
This is a historical short paper on the various lineages of Semdé.

http://khyungmkhar.blogspot.fr/2014/12/ ... cipes.html
This is the translation and commentary of Khenpo Karma Ratna's Semdé synthesis of Chogyur Lingpa's Dzogchen Desum.
KaluKalay
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by KaluKalay »

I am curious if you have the Ati Guru Yoga transmission from ChNN, is there anything else required before practicing Semde? Thanks.
oldbob
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Re: Semde teachers & teachings

Post by oldbob »

I believe that the formal requirements are to have the oral reading and the oral explanation, before doing any restricted practice.
I believe that these permissions are OK in quasi real time over the internet as well as in person.
For ChNNr's own Terma it is required to attend a Wang before practicing, as well as receiving the oral reading and explanation.

That said, Ven. Jigmed Lingpa received teachings directly from Ven. Longchenpa by vision and dream even though they were separated by time and distance.

https://www.amazon.com/Apparitions-Self ... net+Gyatso

So if you have a vision or dream of ChNNR giving you permission to practice, then not to worry.

Please don't quote me as I don't know what I am talking about! Just kidding to see if you were paying attention. :smile:

Of course you should always follow exactly whatever instructions that your Teacher gives you.

:heart:
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