Source Text
From the onset, the lama being questioned emphasized that to truly engage in these two practices, one needed to unfold the sadhana from within the recognition of the view of all-encompassing purity, the application being an expression of awareness.
His compassionate humility created a comfortable ambiance that opened one up to being able to absorb his profound words. He was fearless in teaching the view, meditation, and conduct of the Great Perfection, due to the strength of his realization. He was like a general who ordered his soldiers to take no prisoners. In regard to the view, one either recognized it or not—and if not, no place to hide, nothing to capture! When I listen to or read his teachings, very often I have to stop and catch my breath, recalling how fortunate we have been that such a great being graced our world and that so many of us were able to connect with him personally or though his books, recordings, and videos.
He never gave up on us, repeating the same thing again and again, almost relentlessly, till at least we could understand intellectually.
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche did not give me permission to openly share teachings on the “ground.” So, here, teachings on the ground have either been edited out or highly veiled.
When encountering these places, please be aware of this omission and make the effort to seek these instructions from your personal teacher.
Whoever came into his presence never felt tired, even after several hours had passed. That is totally unlike being in the presence of some politicians, when you can’t wait to get away. Speaking for myself, I never tired of being with Tulku Urgyen—I only felt happy. In all his conversations, he never mentioned any prejudice. Whether you talked about religious or secular affairs, he always spoke honestly and clearly, never acting pretentiously or ever lying. He also had a sharp memory and spoke of events long past as if they just happened yesterday.
When focusing on benefiting others, our own aims automatically become fulfilled without having to deliberately try. Building a monastery is a very difficult task that sometimes seems insurmountable. But most people are not aware of how many temples Tulku Urgyen built. Nor does anybody know exactly how many years he stayed in retreat, which practices he did, and the number of recitations he completed.
Without any concern for personal hardship, he always aimed to do his utmost to benefit sentient beings. He was also extremely humble and self-effacing—totally in tune with Shantideva’s bodhisattva ideal. He treated everyone, whether important or ordinary, with the same affection and attention, teaching everyone equally. In order to bring the highest benefit, he always tried to communicate in the listener’s own terms.
That is the application of Vajrayana, and if someone talks but doesn’t practice, then that person is definitely not learned.
He gave great attention to the performance of all the important rituals, including the drubchen ceremonies. In the first half of his life, in order to be of benefit to others, he learned these down to their minutest detail, never missing a single day. He also never belittled the consequence of any karmic action.
AI Summary
Dzogchen Deity Practice by Padmasambhava presents key insights from the Dzogchen tradition. The 10 passages above capture the essential teachings.
Core Themes:
- [To be expanded]
Key Passages: Highlights 1, 3, and 10 are particularly representative.
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