Source Text
There is no initiation one has to receive.6. There is no path one has to tread.7. There are no levels of realization (bhumis) one has to achieve through purification.8. There is no conduct one has to adopt, or abandon.9. From the beginning, self-arising wisdom has been free of obstacles.10. Self-perfection is beyond hope and fear.
general, as our vision is dualistic, we continuouslycommit negative actions which in their turn comprise the main obstacle to realization and lead to the performance of further dualistic actions, without any possibility of getting out of this vicious cycle.
Essence, nature and, energy are called the three “primordial wisdoms” because they represent the state of enlightenment in its entirety. The individual has these three aspects from the very beginning and continues to have them even upon the accomplishment of total enlightenment. One might think: “What then is the point of practicing, if we already have the same qualities as a Buddha? We can just stay in peace doing nothing!” Of course we can stay in peace doing nothing as long as we are not distracted, as long as we really find ourselves in this state. But if it is otherwise, it means we are slaves to dualism, conditioned by the object. In this case it is not enough to think that we have the essence, nature, and energy: conditioning by dualistic vision is precisely the obstacle that we need to overcome in order to allow the sun of the primordial state to shine again.
In Dzogchen the “view,” or perspective, does not address something external, it means simply observing oneself in order to discover one’s true condition.
The sun, for example, naturally has light and rays, but when the sky is cloudy, we do not see them. The clouds in this case represent our obstacles that are a result of dualism and conditioning: when they are overcome, the state of self-perfection shines with all its manifestations of energy, without ever having been altered or improved. This is the characteristic principle of Dzogchen. Not understanding this may lead one to think that Dzogchen is the same as Zen or Ch’an.
Kayn means “body,” and thus the whole dimension, both material and immaterial, in which we find ourselves; dliarma means existence. So dharmakaya is the total dimension of existence, without any exclusion. Thus it corresponds to the essence, the ineffable and immeasurable condition beyond all the concepts and limits of dualism.
Samblioga means “wealth” or “enjoyments,” so samhhogakaya means the “dimension of wealth.” In this case wealth does not refer to something material but rather to the self-perfected qualities that manifest through the substance of the elements, that is, through color.
Raja, or gyalpo, means “king” and kulaya, or kunjed, means the “creator,” or “radiator” of all manifestation. Literally it could be rendered “all-creating king” or “creator king.” But what does this actually mean?
Another important point often discussed is the state of “non-meditation” or gom med, literally “nothing to meditate.” One might then ask, Why then does one need to meditate? “Non-meditation” means there is no object on which to meditate.
However, the final goal of meditation has nothing to do with this: “nothing to meditate” means not creating with the mind, not entering into activity, not correcting, leaving everything in the authentic condition as it is. If we pour muddy water into a glass and leave it for a while, we will see the muck settle at the bottom and the water become limpid. Likewise, when a thought arises, we do not block it, we do not enter into activity, we do nothing: we simply let it be. However letting be does not mean getting distracted: it is necessary to maintain presence without entering into activity. Can we say that someone remaining in this state is meditating or thinking of something? No, there is nothing on which to meditate, there is no color or form to imagine, there is no concept on which to fix one’s attention. Were there one, it would no longer be true meditation. This is called gom med, and the highest level of practice in Mahamudra is defined in the same way, equivalent, in short, to tregchod in Dzogchen.Chapter 27
AI Summary
The Supreme Source by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Andriano Clemente presents key insights from the Dzogchen tradition. The 10 passages above capture the essential teachings.
Core Themes:
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Key Passages: Highlights 1, 3, and 10 are particularly representative.
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