Chapter 12 Chapter Ten

No one can die without fear and complete peace of mind until one has truly realized the nature of mind.Because only enlightenment, deepened through years of continuous practice, can keep the mind stable amidst the dissolving chaos of the dying process.As far as I know, of all the ways to help people realize the nature of mind, the Dzogchen method is the clearest, most effective, and most suitable for the modern environment.Among the various teachings of Buddhism, the Dzogchen method is the oldest and most direct stream of wisdom, and it is also the source of the bardo teachings. The source of Dzogchen Dharma can be traced back to the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra Tathagata, and it has been passed down to the present day by successive masters.Thousands of practitioners from India, the Himalayas and Tibet have achieved enlightenment and enlightenment through this method.There is a wonderful prophecy that says: "In this dark age, the heart of Puxian King Tathagata will shine like fire." My life, my teachings, and this book are all to ignite the world This fire in the hearts of all beings.

In this mission, Guru Rinpoche has always given me support, inspiration and guidance.He is the main spirit, the greatest exponent and the incarnation of Dzogchen Dzogchen. He has extraordinary qualities, such as magnanimity, supernatural powers, prophetic insights, awakened energy, and infinite compassion. Dzogchen is not widely taught in Tibet, and for a while, many of the greatest masters were not present to teach it.Why am I teaching it now?Several of my masters have told me that this is the time for Dzogchen to spread, the time hinted at in the prophecies.I also feel that it would be unmerciful to not share such a wonderful wisdom method with everyone.Human beings have reached a life-and-death moment in their evolutionary process. In this age of extreme chaos, an extremely powerful and clear method is needed.I also found that the teachings that modern people need must avoid dogma, fundamental dogmatism, exclusivity, complex metaphysics, and things belonging to foreign cultures; They need methods that can be integrated into daily life and can be practiced anywhere.

That being the case, what is Dzogchen Dharma?Dzogchen is not just another teaching, it is not another philosophy, another complex system, another set of seductive techniques.Dzogchen is a state, the primordial state, the fully awakened state, the heart of all Buddhas and all practices, the acme of personal spiritual evolution.Dzogchen in Tibetan is often translated as Great Perfection in English. I do not agree with this translation, because Great Perfection has the purpose of a long and arduous journey, which is far from the true meaning of Dzogchen. The true meaning of Dzogchen (Great Perfection) is that it is the self-fulfilling state of our nature, and there is no need to perfect it at all, because it is perfect from the beginning, just like the sky.

All Buddhist methods can be explained in terms of Root, Path, and Fruit (Ground, Path, and Fruition).The "root" of Dzogchen is this basic, primordial state, our absoluteness, which is inherently perfect and always present.Patrul Rinpoche said: "It is neither to be sought from the outside, nor is it something that was not there before and now it has to be born from your heart." Therefore, from the perspective of "root" (absoluteness), our nature is It is the same nature as the Buddhas; the masters say, without a doubt, that at this level there is nothing to say, nothing to do.

However, we must understand that the Buddhas walk one way, and we walk another way.Buddhas recognize their nature and become enlightened; we don't recognize that nature and get confused.In teaching, this situation is called One Ground, Two Paths.The reason we are in a relative world.It is because our nature is obscured that we need to follow the teachings and practice in order to return to the truth: this is the "way" of Dzogchen.Ultimately, to realize our true nature is to achieve complete liberation and Buddhahood.This is the "fruit" of the Dzogchen Dharma. If a practitioner can cultivate with heart, it is actually possible to prove the fruit in this life.

The masters of the Dzogchen lineage are deeply aware of the danger of confusing the absolute with the relative.Those who do not understand this relationship ignore, even disdain, the relative dimensions of practice and karma.However, those who truly grasp the meaning of Dzogchen will respect the law of cause and effect more, and will pay more attention to the needs of purification and practice.This is because they understand how vast the inner being that is veiled is, so they will work more earnestly, more diligently, and more naturally to remove the barriers that stand between them and their true nature.

Dzogchen Dharma is like a mirror that can reflect the "root" of our nature with such a living purity and such unblemished clarity that we are essentially safe from any intellectual knowledge. Imprisonment, no matter how subtle, persuasive or seductive the knowledge may be. So, what is special about Dzogchen for me?All teachings lead to enlightenment, but the greatness of Dzogchen is that even on the relative level, its language does not pollute the absolute level with concepts; it keeps the absolute level pure, powerful, and majestic. Simplicity, yet still able to introduce the dimension of the Absolute to any open mind in such a vivid and exciting tone that even before enlightenment we all have the opportunity to glimpse the radiance of the enlightened state.

See: The actual training of the Dzogchen path can be described in the traditional and simplest way, using view, meditation, and action. "Seeing" is seeing directly the absolute state or "root" of our being; "concentration" is the method of stabilizing that "view" and making it a continuous experience; throughout reality and life. What is "see"?It is nothing more than seeing the actual state of things as they are; it is understanding the true nature of mind which is the true nature of everything; it is realizing the true nature of mind which is the absolute truth.Dudjom Rinpoche said: "Seeing is the awareness of naked awareness, which includes everything: the perception of the senses (energy) and the existence of phenomena (the object), samsara and nirvana. There are two levels of this awareness: the absolute level The emptiness of the emptiness and the opposite level of the image or perception.”

The meaning of this sentence is to say: in the vast and boundless nature of mind, all phenomena and phenomena, whether they are samsara or nirvana, are always perfect and complete without exception.However, even though the essence of all things is empty and "pure from the beginning", its nature is still full of noble qualities and contains various possibilities; in other words, it is endlessly innovative and perfect at the moment . You may ask: "If the realization of "seeing" is to realize the nature of mind, then what does the nature of mind look like?" The body of mind is like the empty, boundless, and pure sky from the beginning; the appearance of mind is like the sun. The light is clear, omnipresent, and naturally manifested; the use of the mind, that is, the manifestation of compassion, is like the sunshine unselfishly illuminating all things, penetrating in all directions.

You can also think of the nature of mind as a mirror, with five different powers or "wisdoms": its openness and vastness are the "wisdom hidden in the void", the origin of compassion; its ability to reflect everything in detail is the "big round mirror". Its unbiased view of any impression is the "knowledge of equality"; its ability to clearly and clearly distinguish various phenomena is the "knowledge of observation"; wisdom". In Dzogchen, "seeing" is introduced directly by the master to the student.This direct teaching is the hallmark of Dzogchen practice.

The master symbolizes the complete realization of the wisdom mind of the Buddhas. Through his blessing, his direct experience can be conveyed to the students when teaching "seeing".In order to accept the teaching of "view", students must first make vows and purify their karma, and reach the point where their hearts are open and respectful, so as to accommodate the true meaning of Dzogchen. How to introduce the wisdom mind of the Buddhas?Imagine that your mind is your own face; it's always on you, but you can't see it yourself.Now imagine that you have never looked in a mirror.The master's teaching is like suddenly picking up a mirror, allowing you to see your own face reflected in the mirror for the first time.Just like your face, the pure awareness of original consciousness is neither a "new" thing that you didn't have in the past but is now given to you by the guru, nor is it something you can discover outside your body.It has always been yours and has always been with you, but you never saw it until that one amazing moment. Patrul Rinpoche explained: "According to the great master of the Dzogchen lineage, the nature of mind, the face of Rigpa, can only be introduced when the conceptual mind melts." At the moment of introduction, the master completely cuts away the concept, The nakedness of Rigpa is fully revealed, clearly presenting its true nature. In that powerful moment, when the minds of the teacher and the student merge, the student experiences or glimpses Rigpa exactly.At that moment, the master introduced the nature of mind, and the students also recognized the original awakening.When the guru directs the wisdom blessing of his original awareness to the student's original awareness heart, the master directly shows the original face of the mind to the student. However, in order for the teachings of the guru to be fully effective, the right conditions or circumstances must be created.In history, only a few special individuals, because of their pure karma, were able to recognize the mind in an instant and become enlightened; therefore, before imparting the Dharma, the following additional practice is usually done.These preliminaries can purify and strip away your ordinary mind, bringing you to a state sufficient to recognize Rigpa. First, meditation is the supreme antidote to the distracted mind. It brings the mind home and allows it to rest in its natural state. Second, the practice of deep purification and the strengthening of good karma through the accumulation of merit and wisdom can remove the emotional and intellectual veils that obscure the nature of the mind.As my master Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche wrote, "If the karma is purified, the wisdom of the mind will naturally radiate." These purification practices, called Ngondro in Tibetan, can produce a comprehensive inner transformation.They include the practice of body, speech and mind of the whole person, starting with deep visualization: · Rare ·Impermanence and rapid life are at stake · Everything that is done must have a cause and effect ·Boundless sea of ​​suffering in reincarnation of life and death These observations can trigger a strong "renuciation" (renuciation) and a sense of urgency to escape from samsara and move towards the path of liberation, laying the groundwork for further practice: Take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha to awaken confidence and trust in our own Buddha nature. Initiate compassion (bodhicitta, which will be explained in detail in Chapter 12), and train the heart to deal with self and others, as well as life problems. · Clear karma through visualization and chanting mantras. ·Accumulate merit and wisdom by developing great generosity and creating good karma. All these practices culminate in guru yoga, the most important, touching, and powerful of all, and indispensable for opening the mind to realize the Dzogchen nature of mind. Thirdly, a special practice of contemplating mind and phenomena can stop the mind’s endless thirst for thinking and research, make the mind no longer rely on endless thinking, analysis and climbing, and awaken the realization of emptiness. I can't stress enough how important these additional lines really are.They must be practiced one by one in a systematic way to inspire students to awaken their minds. When the master feels that the karma is ripe to show the original face of the mind to the students, the students will be able to accept it. Nyoshul Lungtok is one of the greatest Dzogchen lineage masters in modern times. He was close to his teacher Patrul Rinpoche for eighteen years.During that time, the two of them were practically inseparable.Nyoshul Longde studied and practiced very hard, karma was purified, merit was accumulated, and kung fu was achieved; he was ready to verify his mind, but he had not yet obtained the final dharma.One particular evening, Patrul Rinpoche finally gave him a teaching.At that time they lived in a retreat house in the mountains above Dzogchen Monastery (Dzogchen Monastery).The night is beautiful, the blue sky is cloudless, and the stars are shining brightly.Everything is silent, except for occasional dogs barking from the Buddhist temple at the foot of the mountain, piercing the sky. Patrul Rinpoche is practicing a special Dzogchen method lying on his back on the ground.He called Nyoshul Lungtok: "Did you say you don't understand the essentials?" Nyoshul Lund guessed from his voice that this was a special moment, and nodded expectantly. "Actually there is nothing to know," Patrul Rinpoche said flatly, adding, "My child, come and lie here." Nyoshul Lungtek lay down next to him. So Patrul Rinpoche asked him, "Do you see the stars in the sky?" "See." "Did you hear the dogs barking at Dzogchen Monastery?" "Hear." "Did you hear what I was telling you?" "Hear." "Great, Dzogchen is just like that, that's all." Nyoshul Lungtok told us what happened at that time: "At that moment, I became enlightened with certainty in my heart. I was freed from the shackles of 'it is' and 'it is not'. I realized the primordial wisdom, The pure unity of emptiness and inherent awareness. I was drawn to this realization by his blessing, as the great Indian master Saraha said: The master's words had entered his heart, He sees truth as a jewel in the palm of his hand. At that moment, everything was in its place; Nyoshul Lundok's years of study, purification and practice finally came to fruition.He has proven his mind.There is nothing special, mystical or magical about what Patrul Rinpoche said; in fact, there is nothing unusual about it.But beyond the words, something else was conveyed.What he reveals is the nature of all things and the true meaning of Dzogchen Dharma.Right now, through the power and blessing of his own enlightenment, he brought Nyoshul Lungtok directly into that state. But gurus are quite different, and they can use all kinds of skillful means to inspire that shift of meaning.Patrul Rinpoche himself had a very different path to enlightenment, having been introduced to the mind by a very eccentric master, Do Khyentse.This is the story I heard with my own ears. Patrul Rinpoche has been practicing advanced yoga and visualization, but when he encountered a bottleneck, the mandala of all deities could not clearly appear in his heart.One day he met Do Khyentse and was having a fire outdoors to drink tea.In Tibet, when you meet a guru whom you respect very much, traditionally you do prostrations to show your respect.When Patrul Rinpoche started prostrating in the distance, Do Khyentse noticed it and growled menacingly, "Hey, you old dog! If you have the guts, come here!" Do Khyentse was a very admirable master .He was like a samurai, with long hair, casual clothes, and a penchant for riding nice horses.When Patrul Rinpoche continued prostrating and started approaching him, Do Khyentse, who had been cursing, started throwing small stones, and gradually larger stones.Patrul Rinpoche finally approached him, and Do Khyentse started beating him, knocking him unconscious. When Patrul Rinpoche woke up, his state of consciousness was completely different.The mandala, which he had been trying so hard to visualize, appeared in front of him at that moment.Every curse and every attack by Do Khyentse is destroying the traces of Patrul Rinpoche's conceptual heart, and every stone is opening the chakras and channels of his whole body.For up to two weeks afterward, the clear vision of Mandala never left him. I am now going to try to explain what "seeing" looks like, and what it feels like when Rigpa is directly manifested, even though all the words and conceptual terms cannot really describe it. Dudjom Rinpoche said, "It was like taking off your head covering. How boundless and relaxing! This is the supreme view: seeing what has never been seen before." When you "see what has never been seen before" At this time, everything is open and stretched, and becomes refreshing, clear, lively, novel and vivid.It is as if the roof of your mind is flying off, or a flock of birds suddenly flew away from their dark nest.All restrictions dissolve and disappear, as the Tibetans say, the lid is lifted. Imagine you are living in a house on top of the highest mountain in the world, and suddenly the whole house that blocks your view collapses and you can see everything inside and out.But there was no "thing" to see; the point at which it emanated could not be compared to any ordinary experience; it was total, complete, unprecedented, perfect seeing. Dudjom Rinpoche said: "Your most terrible enemy, that is, the enemy who has kept you in endless samsara since beginningless time, is the object of attachment and being attached to." When the guru introduces the nature of mind, you also recognize the nature of mind At that time, "both were burned, like a feather turned to ashes in the flames, leaving no trace." Attachment and being attached, the object of attachment and the person attached to, are completely removed from their foundations. Get out.The roots of ignorance and suffering are cut off entirely.Everything is like the shadow in the mirror, transparent, shining, illusory, and dreamlike. When you naturally reach this state of meditation under the inspiration of "seeing", you can maintain it there for a long time without distraction and without too much effort.Then, there is no so-called "meditation" to protect or maintain, because you are already in the natural flow of rigpa.At that time, you can realize that it was and is as it is.When Rigpa shines, there is no doubt at all, a deep and complete wisdom arises naturally and directly. All the images I have illustrated and the similes I have attempted to use, you will find dissolved in the vast experience of truth.In this state of devotion, in this state of compassion, all wisdom, joy, clarity, and thoughtlessness are all fused and connected in one single taste.This moment is the moment of awakening.A deep sense of humor wells up in you, and you laugh out loud at how wrong your concepts and ideas about caring have been! From this experience comes an increasingly unshakable certainty and confidence, knowing that "this is it": there is nothing more to seek, nothing more to aspire to.This confirmation of "seeing" must be deepened by repeated glimpses of the nature of mind, and stabilized by continued meditation. Meditation: What is the meditation of Dzogchen?It just dwells exclusively in the "see" after the "see" has been imparted.Dudjom Rinpoche described it: "Meditation is to focus on the state of original awareness, free from all thinking concepts, but on the other hand maintain complete relaxation, without distraction or attachment. Because "Meditation is not struggle, but naturally dissolves into the original Sleep."" The point of meditation practice in Dzogchen is to strengthen and stabilize our original awareness so that it grows to full maturity.The ordinary habitual mind and its projections are quite powerful.When we're not focused or distracted, it keeps coming back, easily controlling us.As Dudjom Rinpoche often said, "At present our Rigpa is like a baby, stranded on a battlefield of powerful thoughts." I like to say that in the beginning we have to be "Rigma" in a safe meditative environment. nanny. If meditation just keeps letting it flow after teaching it, how do we know when it's rigpa and when it's not?I asked Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche this question, and he answered succinctly, "If you are in an unchanging state, that is Rigpa." If we don't dominate or manipulate in any way, our mind is just Resting in the unchanging state of pure, primordial awareness, that is Rigpa.Not if we have any dominance, manipulation or attachment.Rigpa is the state where there is no longer any doubt. There is no mind to doubt.You can see it directly.If you are in this state, a whole, natural certainty and confidence springs up with Rigpa, and that is how you tell if it is Rigpa. The Dzogchen tradition is a very accurate tradition, because the deeper you go, the more subtle the delusions arise, and the understanding of the absolute reality is at the threshold of success or failure.Even after teaching the nature of mind, the masters will still carefully clarify those states that are not Dzogchen meditation states, and they must not be confused.None of the following situations are true Dzogchen meditative states, and one must be careful not to get lost in them: The first is when you are drifting on an uninhabited island of the mind, where there are no thoughts or memories; it is a dark, dull, uncaring state. state where you are thrown into the ground of the ordinary mind.The second state is somewhat tranquil and slightly clear, but this tranquil state is a state of stagnation, which is still buried in the hearts of ordinary people.The third state allows you to experience that thought does not exist, but is lost in an ethereal vacuum.The fourth state is when your heart slips away, longing for thoughts and projections. The main points of Dzogchen meditation can be summarized into four points: When the thoughts of the past have ceased and the thoughts of the future have not arisen, is there a present consciousness in the middle, which is fresh, original, and cannot be changed even by a hair-like concept, a kind of bright and pure awareness? Yes, that is Rigpa. But it doesn't stay in that state forever, because another thought pops up, doesn't it? This is the light of Rigpa. ·However, if you don't recognize the thought for what it is at the moment it arises, it will turn into another ordinary thought just like before.This is called the "chain of delusional thoughts" and is the very root of samsara. If you can immediately recognize the true nature of a thought when it arises, ignore it, and don't follow it, then no matter what thought arises, it will all dissolve naturally, return to the vast original awareness, and gain liberation. Obviously, to understand and realize the richness and magnificence of the above four profound and simple points, it will take a lifetime of practice.Here I just want to give you a taste of the openness of Dzogchen meditation. Perhaps the most important point is that Dzogchen meditation is that original awareness is always flowing, like a river, flowing day and night.Of course, this is the ideal state, because once the "view" has been taught and certified, it will take many years of continuous practice to live in the "view" intently. Dzogchen meditation can be a powerful countermeasure against the arising of thoughts and has a special view on them.When all thoughts arise, it is important to observe that their true nature is indistinguishable from Rigma, and they are not antagonistic to each other; on the contrary, it is very important to regard thoughts as nothing more than the "self-glow" of the mind, the manifestation of Rigma energy. of. Suppose you find yourself in a state of deep stillness, but often after a short while, a thought or an action arises, like a wave in the ocean.Don't reject that movement or especially embrace stillness, but keep the flow of pure presence.The universal and peaceful state of meditation is the original awareness itself, and all thoughts that arise are nothing but the light of the original awareness.This is the essence and foundation of Dzogchen Dharma.One way to visualize this is as if you were riding the sun back to the sun: you immediately traced the thoughts back to their source, Rigpa.When you remain motionless in seeing, you will no longer be deceived and distracted by any thoughts that arise, and therefore will not fall prey to delusion. Of course, there are small waves and big waves in the ocean; strong emotions such as anger, greed, and jealousy will also come.A true practitioner sees them not as distractions or obstacles, but as great opportunities.If you react to the arising of these emotions with the habit of attachment and aversion, it not only means that you have been distracted, but you have not recognized rigpa, and you have lost the ground of rigpa.Reacting to emotions in this way only intensifies them and binds us tightly in the chains of delusions.The great secret of Dzogchen is to immediately see deluded thoughts for what they are as they arise: living and powerful manifestations of the energy of Rigpa itself.As you gradually learn to do this, even the most turbulent emotions fail to hold you, and dissolve, like wild waves rising, lifting high, and then sinking back into the stillness of the ocean. Practitioners have discovered—and this is a revolutionary wisdom whose delicacy and power cannot be described—that instead of shaking you and dragging you back into a neurotic vortex, violent emotions can be used to deepen, Encourages, motivates and strengthens Rigpa.The violent energy becomes the food of awakening energy.The more intense and fiery the emotion, the stronger the rigpa.I find this unique approach of Dzogchen to have the extraordinary power to unravel even the deepest and most ingrained emotional and psychological problems. Now let me explain to you how the process works as simply as possible.The explanation here will be valuable in the future when we come to what happens at the moment of death. In Dzogchen, the basic and inherent nature of all things is called Ground Luminosity or Mother Luminosity.It pervades our entire experience and is therefore the nature of the thoughts and emotions that arise in us, even though we don't recognize it.When the guru guides us to know the true nature of mind, which is the state of original awareness, it seems to give us a master key.This key will open the door for us to the wisdom of all, we call it Path Luminosity or Child Luminosity.Of course, the light of the earth and the light of the road are basically the same, but for the sake of explanation and practice, only such classification is made.Once we have the key of the light of the way through the teaching of our master, we can use it at will to open the door to the true nature.In Dzogchen, this opening of the door is called "the meeting of the earth light and the path light", or "the meeting of the mother light and the child light".Another way of saying it is that when a thought or emotion arises, the path luminosity (original awareness) immediately recognizes who it is, and recognizes its nature (earth luminosity).In that moment of recognition, when the two lights come together, thoughts and emotions are liberated. When we are alive, it is very important to practice the combination of the light of the ground and the light of the way, and to liberate the thoughts and emotions that arise, because the light of the ground will shine brightly for everyone at the moment of death. If you have learned how to If it is recognized, it is an opportunity for complete liberation. Now everyone may be able to understand that the combination of the light of the earth and the light of the way, as well as the self-liberation of thoughts and emotions, is the deepest level of meditation.In fact, a term like "meditation" doesn't really fit Dzogchen, because ultimately, meditation implies "visualization" of an object, and Dzogchen is always just Rigpa.Therefore, apart from abiding in the pure presence of original awareness, there is no question of whether to meditate or not. The only word that can describe this situation is "non-meditation".In this state, the masters say, even if you look for delusions, they are nowhere to be found.Even if you were to look for ordinary small stones on an island full of gold and jewels, you would have no chance of finding them.When the "view" continues to appear, the flow of original awareness is continuous, and when the light of the ground and the light of the path are continuously and spontaneously combined, all delusional thoughts will be liberated from the roots, and your entire experience will arise as continuous original awareness. The masters emphasized that in order to stabilize the "view" in meditation, the first and most important thing is to choose a favorable environment to retreat and practice meditation; in a chaotic and busy world, no matter how hard you practice meditation , the real experience still cannot be born in your heart.Second, although in Dzogchen there is no difference between meditation and everyday life, unless you find true stability through a proper period of meditation dedicated to meditation, you will still not be able to integrate the wisdom of meditation into your daily life in experience.Third, even if you are practicing meditation, you may be able to maintain the flow of original awareness through the faith of "seeing", but if you cannot combine practice and daily life to continue that flow at all times and in all situations, when When adversity arises, it still cannot be used as an antidote, and you will still be misled by thoughts and emotions and fall into ignorance. There is an interesting story about a Dzogchen practitioner who didn't like to show off, but had a large group of disciples to learn from him.There was a monk who liked to show off his knowledge, and knew that this yoga practitioner didn't read much, so he was a little jealous of him.He thought, "He is just an ordinary person, how dare he teach? How dare he pretend to be a teacher? I am going to test his knowledge, expose his fakeness in front of his apprentices, humiliate him, and let them go He followed me." So one day he visited this yoga practitioner and cursed him saying: "You Dzogchen fellows, don't you only know how to practice Zen?" The practitioner's answer caught him completely by surprise: "What's there to do in meditation?" "So you're not even doing meditation," exclaimed the scholar triumphantly. "But why have I ever been distracted?" said the traveler. Row: When a practitioner is able to maintain a constant flow of Rigpa, Rigpa begins to permeate his daily life and actions, producing a deep sense of stability and confidence.Dudjom Rinpoche said: Practice is to be able to really observe your own good and evil thoughts, and whenever thoughts arise, to contemplate their true nature deeply, neither reminiscing about the past nor fantasizing about the future, neither allowing to cling to happy experiences nor to be held back by sad situations. conquered.In doing so, you try to reach and maintain a state of complete peace, where all good and bad pain and pleasure disappear. Realize "see" in a subtle but complete way, and you can transform your perspective on everything.I've come to realize more and more that thoughts and concepts are obstacles that keep us from simply being in the Absolute all the time.Now I understand why my master often says, "Find a way not to create too much hope and fear." Because they just create a lot of inner gossip.When "seeing" is present, thoughts are seen for what they really are: fleeting and transparent, but only relative.See through everything directly as if you had X-ray eyes.You neither cling to thoughts and emotions nor reject them, you simply welcome them all to dissolve into the vast embrace of Rigpa.You used to take things too seriously, but now all of them, including ambitions, expectations, doubts and worries, are no longer urgent, because "seeing" has helped you see their futility and meaninglessness, and has created real truth in you. The spirit of abandonment. Staying in the clarity and confidence of Rigpa allows all your thoughts and emotions to be liberated in its vastness naturally and easily, just like writing in water or drawing in the air.If you do complete this practice, there is no chance for karma to accumulate; in this state of purposeless, worry-free renunciation, what Dudjom Rinpoche called "absenceless, naked freedom," The Law of Karma no longer binds you. Whatever you do, don't think it's easy.It is extremely difficult to rest in the nature of mind without distraction, even for a moment, let alone liberate yourself when a thought or emotion arises.We often mistakenly think that as long as we understand intellectually, we are actually enlightened.This is a great delusion.Enlightenment requires years of study, contemplation, and continuous hard work to mature.Needless to say, the practice of Dzogchen requires the guidance and teaching of a qualified guru, otherwise there will be great dangers. In the Dzogchen tradition, it is called "lost practice in view".A teaching as profound and powerful as Dzogchen comes with great risks.If in fact you are not capable of liberating your thoughts and emotions at all, but you deceive yourself into thinking that you are already free as a true Dzogchen practitioner, then you are just accumulating huge negative karma.Our attitude must be as Guru Rinpoche said: Although my "seeing" can be as wide as the sky, But my karma and my respect for cause and effect But it has to be as fine as flour grains. The masters of the Dzogchen tradition have repeatedly emphasized that if there is no thorough and profound familiarity with the "elements and methods of self-liberation" through years of practice, then meditation "only increases the way of confusion".This sentence may sound harsh, but it is the truth, because only by continuously liberating yourself from all thoughts can you truly stop the domination of ignorance and truly protect you from falling into pain and neurosis.If there is no way of self-liberation, when misfortune and adversity arise, you will have no ability to resist. Even if you practice meditation, you will find that your emotions such as greed and hatred are still as frenzied as before.Other meditation methods without this method of self-liberation run the risk of becoming "four jhanas and eight samadhis", too easily lost in a vast samadhi, a trance, or a certain emptiness, which cannot be attacked and dissolved from the root Ignorance. The great Dzogchen lineage fact, Vimalamitra, precisely mentions the increased spontaneity in this kind of liberation: when you first master this method, as soon as thoughts and emotions arise, there will be liberation at the same time. , like recognizing an old friend in a crowd.When improving and deepening the practice, as soon as thoughts and emotions arise, there will be liberation, but it is like a snake untying its curled body.At the final stage of mastery, liberation is like a thief entering an empty house; whatever thoughts or emotions arise neither harm nor help a true Dzogchen practitioner. 即使是在最伟大的相应法行者身上，忧愁和喜悦、希望和恐惧仍然会像从前一般生起。普通人和相应法行者的差别在于他们如何看待情绪和反应。普通人会本能地接受或拒绝，因而产生执著或厌恶，结果就累积了恶业。反之，相应法行者不管生起什么念头或情绪，都会观照其自然、原始的状态，不会让执著进入他的认知中。 顶果钦哲仁波切描述一位相应法行者走过花园的情形。他完全清楚花的光采和美丽，也能欣赏花的颜色、形状和香气。但在他心中却没有丝毫的执著或「后念」。诚如敦珠仁波切所说的： 不管有什么认知产生，你都必须像小孩子走进庄严的寺院；他看着，但执著却一点也不能进入他的认知中。因此，你让每一件事物都永远那么新鲜、自然、生动和纯真。当你让每一件事物都保持它的原状时，它的形状就不会改变，它的颜色就不会褪去，它的光辉就不会消失。不管出现什么，都不会被任何执著所污染，因此你的一切认知都是本觉的本来智慧，也就是光明和空性的不可分离性。 从直接体悟本觉的「见」所产生的信心、满足、空灵、力量、幽默和笃定，是人生最大的宝藏、最高的快乐，一旦证得之后，一切都不能破坏它，即使是死也不能影响。顶果钦哲仁波切说： 一旦你有了「见」，虽然轮回的妄想还是在你心中生起，但你将像天空一般；当彩虹在它面前出现时，它不受到特别的谄媚；当云出现时，它也不会特别失望。你有一种深沉的满足感。当你看到轮回和涅槃的外表适合，你会从心中咯咯而笑；「见」将永远让你保持喜悦，心中一直都有微笑沸腾着。 诚如敦珠仁波切所说的：「净化大妄念，即净化心中的黑暗之后，毫无障蔽的太阳光芒将持续生起。」 如果读者想从本书了解大圆满法和临终教法的话，我希望你能寻找和亲近一位具格上师，发心接受完整的训练。大圆满法的中心是两种修习：力断（Trekcho）和顿超（Togal），如果想深入了解中阴境界所发生的事情，这两个法门是不可或缺的。这里我只能做最简短的说明，至于完整的说明，必须在弟子已经全心发愿修法，并达到相当的修行功夫时，上师才会传授他。我在本章所说明的，就是力断的核心。 力断的意思是强力彻底而直接地切入无明。简单地说，无明是被本觉的「见」那种不可抗拒的力量切入，就像刀切开牛油或空手道高手劈开一叠砖块。整个厚重的无明大建物就此倒塌，好象你炸开它的拱顶石一般。无明被切开了，心性的本初清净和自然素朴就赤裸地显现出来。 在上师认为你对于力断的修习有了彻底基础之后，他才会把顿超的高级法门介绍给你。顿超的修行者，直接在一切现象所本具或「当下呈现」的明光（Clear Light）上用功，使用特殊而非常有力的修习来让它在自己身上显露。 顿超具有当下和立即证悟的特性。譬如登山，一般的方法是走很长的山路才爬到高峰，但顿超的方法则是一跃而至。顿超可以让一个人在一世中，在自己身上证悟到觉悟的不同层面。因此，它被视为大圆满传统最非凡、独特的法门；「力断」是大圆满的智慧，「顿超」则是它的方便。它需要大量的训练，通常都是在闭关的环境里修习。 然而我们要一再强调的是，大圆满法的「道」只能在具格上师的直接指导下才能修。Guru喇嘛说：「你必须记住大圆满法的修习，如力断和顿超，只有经由经验老到的上师指导，并且接受证悟者的启发和加持，才可能成功。」 虹光身： 透过这些高深的大圆满法门，修行成就者可以将他们的生命带到殊胜而光辉的结束。当他们命终时，可以让身体回缩到组成身体的光质，他们的色身会溶化在光中，然后完全消失。这种过程称为「虹身」（rainbow body）或「光身」（body of light），因为在身体溶化时，会有光和彩虹出现。古代的大圆满密续和大师著作，对于这个惊人、不可思议的现象，有不同的分类，因为有一段时期，虽然不是常态，却经常有这种现象出现。 知道自己即将证得虹光身的人，通常会要求独处在房间或帐篷里七天。第八天，整个身体消失了，只留下毛发和指甲。 现在我们也许很难相信这种事，但大圆满传承的历史却充满证得虹光身的例子，诚如敦珠仁波切经常指出的，这不是古老的历史。我将提到一个最近的，而且是与我个人有关的例子。一九五二年，在西藏东部，有一个著名的虹光身例子，许多人都亲眼看到。他就是索南南杰（Sonam Namgyal），我老师的父亲，也是我在本书前面提及的左顿喇嘛的兄弟。 他是一个非常单纯而谦虚的人，以在石头上雕刻咒文和经文维生。有人说他年轻时曾经当过猎人，跟随一位伟大的上师接受教法。没有人知道他是修行人，他确实可以称为「密行者」（a hidden yogin）。在他临终前不久，人们常看他坐在山顶，仰望虚空。他不唱传统歌，自己作词谱曲。没有人知道他正在做什么。然后他似乎生病了，但奇怪地，他却变得越来越快乐。当病情恶化是，家人请来上师和医生，他的儿子告诉他应该记住他所听过的教法，他微笑说：「我全都忘光了，不管怎样，没有什么好记的。一切都是幻影，但我相信一切都会很好。」 在他七十九岁临终时，他说：「我唯一的要求是，死后一个星期内不要动我的身体。」当他去世后，家人就把他的遗体包裹起来，邀请喇嘛和僧人来为他诵经。他们把遗体放在一个小房间内，并且不禁注意到，虽然他高头大马，却毫不困难就被带进房间，好象遗体变小了。同时，奇异的彩虹般的光充满了整个屋子。在第六天时，家人看见他的身体好象变得愈来愈小了。在他死后第八天的早晨，安排葬仪事宜，当抬尸人把盖布掀开时，发现里面除了指甲和毛发外一无所有。 我的上师蒋扬钦哲请人把指甲和毛发送来给他看，而且认证了这是虹光身的例子。