It is always good to take Wangs and Lung and Dharma explanations in the tradition that you are following. It is always good to take Teachings from Enlightened Masters like Gangtang Tulku.
So that the “pigeons don’t become frightened by a loud noise”, or the “drunks in the Meribar who were not paying attention to the Boss” become endangered through wrong views – it is good to discuss what is going on in the Dzogchen Community today and try to be helpful to clarify and ease “utter disbelief and ridicule.”
Paging through Richard Barron’s excellent translation of the Precious Treasury of Basic Space and I found NO /NO reference to who can teach Dzogchen. Not one. (I enjoyed reading this again!!!) Maybe someone was using a different translation. I am old and fuzzy-headed so maybe I missed something.
This book is available on Amazon. Perhaps this book is also available to read as a borrowed .pdf for those who cannot afford the high price.
This wonderfully done translation, by an accomplished Lama / practitioner captures words about the spirit of Dzogchen from within Dzogchen. Words about Dzogchen do not get better than this. But perhaps these words would have a different meaning from outside Dzogchen, so this style of presentation is only a useful key to Dzogchen if you are already within Dzogchen.
Certainly, anyone who is sincerely interested in words about Dzogchen should read all the true words of the Omniscient Longchenpa and commentaries, and all the works of the enlightened Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa as well reading the brilliant Dzogchen tantras of ancient times.
Perhaps someone who is a scholar can dig out where it is written about who can teach Dzogchen. Direct quotes with attribution would be helpful for scholarly purposes. Perhaps this would be interesting to scholars.
So again, there is “Dzogchen” which refers to words about “Dzogchen” and there is “Dzogchen” which refers to the direct experience of Dzogchen which is beyond any possibility of being captured by words. Like trying to write on air or water. Yet all words and intellectual forms are included.
So yes, it is a very good idea to read the most precious Seven Treasures and the commentaries and the translations of the ancient wisdom of the Dzogchen Tantras if you want to learn true words about Dzogchen.
Perhaps the direct experience of Dzogchen is something different, and so for this, we need a Direct Introduction and the Secondary Practices to develop confidence. So, the practice – Transmission Lineage is something different than words – though it includes all words about Dzogchen.
So yes, it is important to take Wangs and Lungs in the tradition(s) you are following - if the opportunity arises. I threw the flower for the Longsal Wang 3 times. Perhaps what was recommended to the SMS students was not recommended for the other 7000. And so the Buddha Dharma is presented in 80,000 (means many) different forms from the very elaborate to the completely unelaborate so that there would be something for everyone. Since the SMS students enjoy elaboration it was appropriate for ChNN to suggest that they take empowerments that were not suggested for the other 7000 students.
So, words about Dzogchen and Wangs and Lungs are important, but perhaps most importantly we need confidence in our Teacher and in the words of our Teacher. Here in this forum of DW, our Teacher is ChNN.
In the two communications of 2016 about who can teach, ChNN set forth his straightforward and common-sense requirements as to who can teach.
Yes, the words of ChNN in 2016 mostly relate to the specific situation while he was alive, but
ChNN also pointed out how to go forward in the present time, when we are being asked to observe ourselves, work with circumstances, do our best and collaborate, when there is no Enlightened Master to go to within the Dzogchen Community.
Perhaps there were no requirements for giving Wangs and Lungs in the words of ChNN about who can teach.
Perhaps requirements for Wangs and Lungs are put forwards by scholars who wish to maintain a hierarchy of who can teach Dzogchen within the Dzogchen Community.
Perhaps to the extent that written words and Wangs and Lungs establish confidence in encouraging practice and in Instant Presence they are useful to the Dzogchen Practitioner.
Perhaps there are other ways of doing the same thing. Perhaps one moment of Instant Presence is the single point that includes all.
Perhaps none of the Mahasiddhas were scholars, or if they were, they first had to overcome their attachment to words.
Please read the actual words of ChNN's "Deeper Wisdom", as to who can teach, and look for what Rinpoche wrote that is applicable to our world today. Perhaps if the Dzogchen Community ignores the clear words of ChNN as to who can teach, you get what you find today.
Sadness is not the issue - at all. The issue is what Teaching forms best reflect and continue the Dzogchen Transmission Lineage of ChNN.
Please read the words of ChNN and consider if this "deeper wisdom" is being followed by current management. Maybe we need new management.
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OB