The Self-Arisen Vidya Tantra and The Self-Liberated Vidya Tantra A Translation of the Rigpa Rang Shar and Rigpa Rangdrol

[mechashivaz]

Heads up for anyone who hasn't bought a copy yet, Wisdom has a promo code to save 40% until Dec. 21. The promo code is SAVE40. Just ordered my copy, very excited!

[Lukeinaz]

Hi Malcom, In chapter three is mthong being translated as attachment? Seems like attachment is translating several words here. Sorry if this was already covered in one of your talks, cant really remember..

BTW if anyone missed his Facebook talk here it is again, entertaining as always:

[Malcolm]

Hi Malcom, In chapter three is mthong being translated as attachment?

No.

[Lukeinaz]

Hi Malcom, In chapter three is mthong being translated as attachment?

No.

Ok, may I ask what word is being translated here and why it did not find a place in the glossary?

[Malcolm]

Hi Malcom, In chapter three is mthong being translated as attachment?

No.

Ok, may I ask what word is being translated here and why it did not find a place in the glossary?

Generally, the word being translated here as attachment is chags pa.

[Malcolm]

No.

Ok, may I ask what word is being translated here and why it did not find a place in the glossary?

Generally, the word being translated here as attachment is chags pa.

It is not a very interesting word, hence no entry.

[Lukeinaz]

Ok, may I ask what word is being translated here and why it did not find a place in the glossary?

Generally, the word being translated here as attachment is chags pa.

It is not a very interesting word, hence no entry.

Ok thanks. I was hearing hoof beats and looking for zebras.

[Passing By]

Does the chapter on empowerments imply that Vajrayana deity empowerments given by a Dzogchen master count as Dzogchen transmission even if there is no Dzogchen style direct introduction per se?

[Malcolm]

Does the chapter on empowerments imply that Vajrayana deity empowerments given by a Dzogchen master count as Dzogchen transmission even if there is no Dzogchen style direct introduction per se?

No. It is not implying that at all. The chapter on empowerments is strictly referring the four empowerments common to Dzogchen snying thig: elaborate, unelaborate, and so on.

[Passing By]

Does the chapter on empowerments imply that Vajrayana deity empowerments given by a Dzogchen master count as Dzogchen transmission even if there is no Dzogchen style direct introduction per se?

No. It is not implying that at all. The chapter on empowerments is strictly referring the four empowerments common to Dzogchen snying thig: elaborate, unelaborate, and so on.

So the empowerment of colored powders would be the elaborate one? Where would a word empowerment done by the lama giving a teaching on a certain Dzogchen text fit in this scheme? Thanks

[Malcolm]

Does the chapter on empowerments imply that Vajrayana deity empowerments given by a Dzogchen master count as Dzogchen transmission even if there is no Dzogchen style direct introduction per se?

No. It is not implying that at all. The chapter on empowerments is strictly referring the four empowerments common to Dzogchen snying thig: elaborate, unelaborate, and so on.

So the empowerment of colored powders would be the elaborate one? Where would a word empowerment done by the lama giving a teaching on a certain Dzogchen text fit in this scheme? Thanks

The four snying thig empowerments are subdivisions of the fourth empowerment, actually. Basically, if you are interested in Dzogchen, you need to find someone you believe is a real Dzogchen practitioner to receive teachings from. Right now, I think Khenpo Namdrol is the best teacher available to westerners from whom to learn Dzogchen, due to the depth and length of his explanations. But it is not so easy to meet him. There are many other qualified teachers out there as well. But choose wisely, many Tibetan Lamas hold up a deer's tail, but sell horse meat instead. Thus, caveat emptor.

[Passing By]

No. It is not implying that at all. The chapter on empowerments is strictly referring the four empowerments common to Dzogchen snying thig: elaborate, unelaborate, and so on.

So the empowerment of colored powders would be the elaborate one? Where would a word empowerment done by the lama giving a teaching on a certain Dzogchen text fit in this scheme? Thanks

The four snying thig empowerments are subdivisions of the fourth empowerment, actually. Basically, if you are interested in Dzogchen, you need to find someone you believe is a real Dzogchen practitioner to receive teachings from. Right now, I think Khenpo Namdrol is the best teacher available to westerners from whom to learn Dzogchen, due to the depth and length of his explanations. But it is not so easy to meet him. There are many other qualified teachers out there as well. But choose wisely, many Tibetan Lamas hold up a deer's tail, but sell horse meat instead. Thus, caveat emptor.

Thanks. I'm based in East Asia actually although English is my primary language. One thing I do not understand though. In Nyingma practices generally, the view is Dzogchen based. For example one of the Four Phurbas in Vajrakilaya is the primordial wisdom phurba which, as I understand, is the state of Dzogchen. So how is one supposed to actually practise such a sadhana if the empowerment for that practice does not include direct introduction? I mean, the empowerment is the foundation for any practice no?

[Malcolm]

So the empowerment of colored powders would be the elaborate one? Where would a word empowerment done by the lama giving a teaching on a certain Dzogchen text fit in this scheme? Thanks

The four snying thig empowerments are subdivisions of the fourth empowerment, actually. Basically, if you are interested in Dzogchen, you need to find someone you believe is a real Dzogchen practitioner to receive teachings from. Right now, I think Khenpo Namdrol is the best teacher available to westerners from whom to learn Dzogchen, due to the depth and length of his explanations. But it is not so easy to meet him. There are many other qualified teachers out there as well. But choose wisely, many Tibetan Lamas hold up a deer's tail, but sell horse meat instead. Thus, caveat emptor.

Thanks. I'm based in East Asia actually although English is my primary language. One thing I do not understand though. In Nyingma practices generally, the view is Dzogchen based.

Not necessarily.

For example one of the Four Phurbas in Vajrakilaya is the primordial wisdom phurba which, as I understand, is the state of Dzogchen. So how is one supposed to actually practise such a sadhana if the empowerment for that practice does not include direct introduction? I mean, the empowerment is the foundation for any practice no?

The fourth empowerment common to gsar ma and snying ma is a kind of introduction, but it is not sufficient for practicing Dzogchen, so to answer your question directly, the empowerment is not foundation for any practice. One also needs to also have further introductions and liberating instructions. And there are further introductions one will need beyond that. For example, the Meteoric Razor (gnam lcags spu gri) Vajrakilaya tradition of Dudjom Lingpa, even after one has received the empowerment in a proper way, it is assumed one will have practiced in some detail the preliminaries, creation and completion stage, then the special Dzogchen preliminaries. Nevertheless, one needs specific further introductions in order to practice the main practices of Dzogchen.

Likewise, in the Jonang tradition, merely receiving the outer four empowerments is not sufficient for practicing the six limb yoga; or in Lamdre, merely receiving the cause empowerment, which has all four empowerments, is not sufficient for practicing the pratices associated with the three inner empowerments, one needs also the path empowerment and the blessing empowerment of Vajrayogini/Nairatma.

[PeterC]

There are many other qualified teachers out there as well. But choose wisely

Malcolm, on that point. There are many lamas who teach Dzogchen within the common Nyingma framework of common and uncommon preliminaries, three roots, etc. Since ChNNR rested his intent, is there anyone teaching it like him, as a path complete in itself, and giving access to a broad range of practices on that path directly?

[Sādhaka]

The Yongdzin Rinpoche Lopon Tenzin Namdak.

He emphasizes Tantric Ngondro more, but does not require Yidam or any other Tantric practice.

Yongdzin Rinpoche gives general Direct Introduction and Guruyoga to anyone interested; however from what I understand, he usually won’t give the R.T.W. unless one has at least completed Ngondro.

[Virgo]

There are many other qualified teachers out there as well. But choose wisely

Malcolm, on that point. There are many lamas who teach Dzogchen within the common Nyingma framework of common and uncommon preliminaries, three roots, etc. Since ChNNR rested his intent, is there anyone teaching it like him, as a path complete in itself, and giving access to a broad range of practices on that path directly?

Dzogchen is not about the teacher. It is about the studenet because the student is the individual and Dzogchen is about the individual. The student is the most important. The teacher is said the be the most important simply because the teacher is the main key that the student uses to ulock his own knowledge.

Kevin

[Passing By]

The four snying thig empowerments are subdivisions of the fourth empowerment, actually. Basically, if you are interested in Dzogchen, you need to find someone you believe is a real Dzogchen practitioner to receive teachings from. Right now, I think Khenpo Namdrol is the best teacher available to westerners from whom to learn Dzogchen, due to the depth and length of his explanations. But it is not so easy to meet him. There are many other qualified teachers out there as well. But choose wisely, many Tibetan Lamas hold up a deer's tail, but sell horse meat instead. Thus, caveat emptor.

Thanks. I'm based in East Asia actually although English is my primary language. One thing I do not understand though. In Nyingma practices generally, the view is Dzogchen based.

Not necessarily.

For example one of the Four Phurbas in Vajrakilaya is the primordial wisdom phurba which, as I understand, is the state of Dzogchen. So how is one supposed to actually practise such a sadhana if the empowerment for that practice does not include direct introduction? I mean, the empowerment is the foundation for any practice no?

The fourth empowerment common to gsar ma and snying ma is a kind of introduction, but it is not sufficient for practicing Dzogchen, so to answer your question directly, the empowerment is not foundation for any practice. One also needs to also have further introductions and liberating instructions. And there are further introductions one will need beyond that. For example, the Meteoric Razor (gnam lcags spu gri) Vajrakilaya tradition of Dudjom Lingpa, even after one has received the empowerment in a proper way, it is assumed one will have practiced in some detail the preliminaries, creation and completion stage, then the special Dzogchen preliminaries. Nevertheless, one needs specific further introductions in order to practice the main practices of Dzogchen.

Likewise, in the Jonang tradition, merely receiving the outer four empowerments is not sufficient for practicing the six limb yoga; or in Lamdre, merely receiving the cause empowerment, which has all four empowerments, is not sufficient for practicing the pratices associated with the three inner empowerments, one needs also the path empowerment and the blessing empowerment of Vajrayogini/Nairatma.

I was refering mainly to the usual generation/completion stage sadhanas one would do primarily in such a cycle actually. The kind where many lamas commonly give after an empowerment at a drubchen or similar public event which participants would then do. Is the samadhi of suchness adopted during the practice and rigpa the same thing? Is it possible to properly do and accomplish such sadhanas without Dzogchen transmission especially when it's full of language telling one to rest in the dharmakaya, ground of primordial awareness etc and to realize everything as the play of the deity and mandala even if deity practice isn't a main Dzogchen method per se?

[PeterC]

The Yongdzin Rinpoche Lopon Tenzin Namdak.

He emphasizes Tantric Ngondro more, but does not require Yidam or any other Tantric practice.

Yongdzin Rinpoche gives general Direct Introduction and Guruyoga to anyone interested; however from what I understand, he usually won’t give the R.T.W. unless one has at least completed Ngondro.

Thanks

RTW?

[Sādhaka]

PM sent.

[heart]

The Yongdzin Rinpoche Lopon Tenzin Namdak.

He emphasizes Tantric Ngondro more, but does not require Yidam or any other Tantric practice.

Yongdzin Rinpoche gives general Direct Introduction and Guruyoga to anyone interested; however from what I understand, he usually won’t give the R.T.W. unless one has at least completed Ngondro.

Thanks

RTW?

rigpé tsal wang https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Atiyoga

/magnus