The Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyud Dzogchen

[kalden yungdrung]

Commentaries

So for the Zhang Zhung Nyengyud, there is not really a commentary since it is generally not allowed to comment on Dzogchen teachings directly.

But anyhow, if a person has practised and has experience, then they can write this down, and that is called Nyamgyud.

That is possible.

There are several different Nyamgyud in the Zhang Zhung Nyengyud.


First of all there is:

• Gyepa, the large experiential teaching
• Dringpo, the medium experiential teaching
• Dupa, the short experiential teaching

Thus the teachings of the different masters were collected; they taught what they experienced. That is the main 'commentary' on the Zhang Zhung Nyengyud.

Then there are also several commentaries by Tibetan scholars but the rule is that no commentaries are allowed about Dzogchen teachings.

You simply have to follow the teachings of the major cycles directly, be it:

- Zhang Zhung Nyengyud
- Yetri Thasel
- or whatever.

That is the rule.

By: The Böön Yongdzin Rinpoche

[kalden yungdrung]

IN ADDITION:

viewtopic.php?f=78&t=21813&start=60

[kalden yungdrung]

The Crystal Necklace - The Primary Instructions for Removing the Darkness according to the Oral Tradition (of Zhangzhung).

By Naldjor:

(snyan rgyud rtsa khrid mun sel shel phreng bzhugs pa dge legs ‘phel lo, ff. 571-629).

Introduction and Contents of the Practice Manual of the Experiential Transmission according to the Oral Dzogchen Tradition of Zhangzhung.

The texts of the Dzogchen Zhangzhung Nyengyü (rDzogs chen Zhang zhung snyan rgyud) are collected in 2 main categories:

1. The Cycle of the Oral Transmission of the Precepts (bka’ brgyud)
2. The Cycle of the Experiential Transmission (nyams rgyud).

While the first cycle consist of the 4 parts of the outer, inner, secret and most secret texts or cycles (phyi nang gsang yang gsang ‘khor) and instructions, the latter has 3 parts, the instruction of the experiential transmission in its
extensive, medium and condensed versions (nyams rgyud rgyas ‘bring bsdus pa).

Responsible for codifying the 3 collections of the Experiential Transmission are the great Dzogchen Masters Orgom Kündul (‘Or sgom kun ‘dul), Yangtön Sherab Gyaltsen (Yang ston shes rab rgyal mtshan) and his son Dampa Bumje Ö (Dam pa ‘bum rje ‘od), and especially the great Master Orgom Kündul who, at the request of Yangtön Sherab Gyaltsen, set down the previously orally transmitted Experiential Instructions and organised the 3 divisions of the collected personal
experiences and individual instructions of the lineage Masters into The Experiential Transmission during the 11th century.

The 3 Cycles of the Master´s Experiential Transmission from the Oral Dzogchen Tradition from Zhangzhung (rDzogs pa chen po zhang zhung bla ma’i nyams rgyud skor gsum) are:

1. The Extensive Collection of the Experiential Transmission (Nyams rgyud rgyas pa), which is
subdivided into two parts: 1.1. The Grey Section (skya ru), and 1.2. The Brown Section (smug gu),
2. The Medium Intermediate Collection of the Experiential Transmission (Nyams rgyud ‘bring pos
sor bzhag),
3. The Abbreviated Variety of the Experiential Transmission (Nyams rgyud bsdus pa thor bu).

The instructions of the last collection are generally regarded to be just scattered fragments (thor bu) and they are believed to be simply an aggregation of otherwise unorganized teachings of the masters accumulated over many centuries.

Therefore, their study and practice has been neglected and it is very difficult to receive instructions. However, for the individual practitioner these inspiring teachings do truly appear to be the original Dzogchen teachings and authentic instructions in all their rough and unmodified natural beauty.

Our text is the last and fiftieth within this third collection of the Experiential Transmission (Nyams rgyud), known as The Abbreviated Variety of the Experiential Transmission (Nyams rgyud bdsus pa thor bu), and is called The Crystal Necklace or more fully The Crystal Necklace, The Primary Instructions for Removing the Darkness from the Oral Tradition (sNyan rgyud rtsa khrid mun sel shel phreng, ff. 571-648).

This concluding text was written by the great Dzogchen Master Rangdrol Lama Gyaltsen (Rang grol bla ma rgyal mtshan), who is responsible for codifying The Abbreviated Variety of the Experiential Transmission in its present edition in the 14th century.

According to the hagiography written by Patön Tengyal Zangpo at the time when he received the transmission of the Dzogchen Zhangzhung Nyengyü from the Master Ripa Sherab Lodrö both Tapihritsa and Gyerpung Nangzher Lödpo appeared to him in visions and he received instructions and prophesies from them.

Furthermore, he was blessed by the maroon-colored protector Sidpa Gyalmo and was protected by Yeshe Walmo like her only child.

[kalden yungdrung]

Tashi delek,

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (TWR), gives here a teaching about 2 great ZZNG Dzogchenpas, Tapihritsa and Nangzher Lopo.

====================

http://chuclip.com/watch?v=S0NYeGhpVzR1SkU

[kalden yungdrung]

Tashi delek,

ཞང་ཞུང་སྙན་རྒྱུད་བཀའ་རྒྱུད་སྐོར་བཞི་ལས་སྐུ་ལྔ་རང་ཁྲིད་བསྟན་པ་བཞུགས་སོ།
THE INSTRUCTIONS on the 5 BUDDHA FAMILIES from Zhang Zhung Nyengyud Kagyud Korzhi”

This practice belongs to the category of Khorde Rushen (separating samsara from nirvana) and forms part of special Preliminaries of Zhang Zhung Nyengyud Dzogchen cycle.

Meditation of the 5 Buddha Families was practiced by many realised yogis and yoginis including Khandro Chöza Bönmo who achieved Rainbow Body of Light in the 8th century A.D.

Here is what Lishu Tagring, her teacher and great Dzogchen master, taught her:

“O emanation of the Khandro of primordial wisdom, purify the visions of delusion by means of the 5 pure lands.
Liberate material aggregates by means of the 5 Buddha families.
Condense the objects of dualistic mind into the Natural State by means of the 5 lights.”

(From Namdak, Yongdzin Lopön Tenzin, transl., transc. & ed. Nagru Geshe Gelek Jinpa, Ermakova, C. & Ermakov, D. The Heart Essence of the Khandro, Experiential Instructions on Bönpo Dzogchen: 30 Signs and Meanings from Women Lineage-Holders, New Delhi: Heritage Publishers, 2012, pp.147-148.)

Many years have passed since those wonderful days in 1999 when Yongdzin Rinpoche gave a series of teachings on Zhang Zhung Nyengyud in Cergy near Paris, including The Instructions on the 5 Buddha Families, Kunga Rangthri Tenpa.

The teachings were transcribed by Carol at the time but have lain in a drawer until now. Thanks to Wolfgang Reutter, who asked us to produce this booklet for a retreat on the same text to be led by Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung in Germany, they are NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THIS TRANSMISSION.

The original transcript was re-edited and checked against both the audio recording and the original Tibetan text; Nagru Geshe Gelek Jinpa kindly answered a few outstanding questions. This small book represents a faithful reproduction of the words and meaning taught by the greatest Bönpo teacher and scholar of our time, Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche.

Any mistakes or omissions that may still be present are the sole responsibility of the transcriber and editors.

May this bring benefit to all beings!

Thatsen Mutsug Marro!
ཐ་ཚན་མུ་ཙུག་སྣར་རོ།།

TO ORDER THE BOOK: please send an email titled FIVE BUDDHA FAMILIES from http://www.yungdrungbon.co.uk/ContactUs.html

Confirming that you have transmission for this text and we will send you the Order link.

[kalden yungdrung]

Tashi delek,

Below a message / explanation about abiding in one´s Natural State, used in Bön Dzogchen.
It are like mostly the ZZNG Dzogchen explanations / Teachings of the Bön Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, the most senior teacher in Bön.

===================
.
By: Tengelek Geshela from Menri Monastery.
.

.

Tengelek Geshe - 06a.jpg (221.64 KiB) Viewed 3685 times

My root Teacher Yongdzin Rinpoche says:

Once you realize how this Nature is self-clear, then how do you abide in it continuously?

Don't try to add anything; just keep it as it is, itself. That is called: 'No meditation, yet meditate.

That means there is no meditation in the normal way, i.e. there is nothing concrete for perception to concentrate on or focus on; just leave it as it is. 'No meditation' means you don't try to meditate with consciousness. '

Yet meditate' means don't be deluded, just keep on, as it is, itself. Yengme that means delusion. Don't follow delusion.

So as for the body, just keep it comfortable. In the beginning you can use some postures and so on, but it is not always necessary; any time you remember the Natural State, you are there, you are practicing.

As for the mind or Nature, just keep it as it is. No changing, no adding, no detracting (missing) anything.

[kalden yungdrung]

By: Geshe Lungtok Tenzin Gelek ( See photo above )


The Oral Transmission of Dzogchen Zhang Zhung is one of the 3 principal systems in the Young Drung Bön Tradition for the transmission of Dzogchen or "great perfection" teachings.

This lineage began with Kuntu Zangpo and was transmitted from mind-to-mind, without recourse to words, down through 9 successive generations to Sangwa Dupa.

1. Küntu Zangpo, The source of the lineage, This is the Bönku. He is naked and without ornamentation.
2. Shenlha Ökar, the pure, white light deity of compassion. This is the Dzok ku. His compassion is all-pervasive and he is the embodiment of exalted, positive qualities.
3. Gyalwa Shenrap, the divine being that descended to the human realm in order to guide sentient beings. This is the Tulku and he became known as the Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché.
4. Tsemé Öden, the divine being that emanated into a god realm in order to guide bodhisattvas.
5. Trulshen Nangden, the divine being that emanated into a god realm from the mind of Küntu Zangpo.
6. Barnang Khujuk, the divine being that emanated into a god realm from the speech of Küntu Zangpo
7. Zangza Ringtsun, a divine emanation of the Great Mother Sherap Chamma and the divine mother of Chimé Tsukpü. Trulshen nangden descended upon her right shoulder in the form of a turquoise cuckoo and caused a subtle, internal heat. One year later, she gave birth to Chimé Tsukpü. Her body color is golden and she holds a golden vase in her right hand and a golden mala in her left hand.
8. Chimé Tsukpü, He is turquoise in color. Nine days after his birth, his mother Zangza Ringtsun found him suspended in space and radiating light. He taught both tantra and Dzogchen.


The beginning of the Aural Transmission Lineage:

9. Sangwa Düpa, He received the transmission through Rikpa and was the first to use speech as well as awareness to transmit the teachings. He was born a prince of Tazik and began the transmission among human beings. Because he was the first to use speech to transmit the teachings, he is also known as The Teacher of the Aural Transmission Lineage. 1

The lineage then continued as an oral transmission through words for 24 generations to Dawa Gyaltsan, the teacher of Tapihritsa.

10. Lhabön Yongsu Dakpa, He received the transmission from Sangwa Düpa and spread the teachings in the god realm.
11. Lübön Banam, He received the transmission from Sangwa Düpa and spread the teachings in the lü (Sanskrit. naga) realm.
12. Mibön Tridé Zambu, He received the transmission from Sangwa Düpa and spread the teachings in the human realm.
13. Banam Kyolpo
14. Trisho Gyalwa, He was the son of Banam Kyolpo.

The 6 Masters who show the 6 Meanings of Dzogchen:
15. Rasang Bönpo Samdrup 1
16. Darma Sherap
17. Darma Bodé
18. Zhang Zhung Bönpo Tripén
19. Muyé Lhagyung
20. Mashen Lézang

The 9 Masters of Experience Within:
21. Gyershen Taklha
22. Rasang Bönpo Yungdrung Se
23. Séchen Yungdrung Pén
24. Gébar Döndrup
25. Gyerpung Gépén
26. Dése Gégyal
27. Zhang Zhung Namgyal
28. Muyé Lhagyung Karpo
29. Shen Horti Chenpo

The 4 Ürgyen Masters:
30. Shen Dönkün Druppa
31. Rasang Bönpo Péngyal
32. Gurip Sega
33. Dawa Gyaltsen

Tapihritsa to Gyerpung Nangzer Lopo and transmitted the teachings in their entirety to him.

34. Tapihritsa, He was born into a nomadic family in the country of Zhang Zhung. He practiced at a place near Mt. Tise known as Sengé Tap. He practiced for nine years without interrupting it with ordinary, human speech. He achieved the rainbow body of light. After this, Tapihritsa manifested as a young boy and began working as a shepherd for a wealthy man in the area where Nangzher Lopo was practicing. Upon meeting, Nangzher Lopo asked the boy a series of questions and became annoyed at his answers. Challenging him to debate in front of the Zhang Zhung king, the boy laughed and began speaking about the true nature of mind. Realizing that this was an emanation and not an ordinary boy, Nangzher Lopo fainted. Regaining consciousness, he saw that the boy had transformed and was showing a clear and luminous body surrounded by a rainbow and suspended in space.
35. Gyerpung Nangzher Lopo, He extensively practiced the cycles of Zhang Zhung Meri and Gekho. In doing so, he acquired great magical power. He was the priest for the Zhang Zhung king and was well-known throughout the kingdom. Because of his devotion, he met and received teachings from Tapihritsa 3 times. He lived for 573 years.


The tradition then continued on for 6 generations to Ponchen Tsenpo at which time the lineage split into a Transmission of Precepts (bka’ rgyud) and an Experiential Transmission (nyams rgyud):

36. Gyalzik Sechung, He first received these teachings when he was 72 years old. He lived for 317 years and attained the rainbow body of light.
37. Mu Shen Tsogé, At the age of 3, Nangzher Lopo identified him as a qualified student and he received the teachings at the age of 19. He lived for 173 years and attained the rainbow body of light.
38. Mu Gyershen Tsotang, He lived for 113 years and attained the rainbow body of light.
39. Mu Shotram Chenpo, He lived for 117 years and attained the rainbow body.
40. Mu Gyalwa Lodro, He was attendant to Mu Shotram Chenpo for nine years before he received teachings. He lived for 270 years and attained the rainbow body of light.
41. Pongyal Tsenpo, also known as Ponchen Tsenpo, He purified all the defilements of his physical body and therefore it was not necessary for him to eat food for nourishment. He lived for 1,600 years and his body showed no signs of aging. He then transformed himself into a turquoise cuckoo and flew off towards the southwest in order to subdue demons.


Ponchen Tsenpo passed on these 2 different transmissions on to two different students who in turn formed 2 different lineages. In this way for 6 generations the 2 transmission lineages of Precepts and Experience were propagated independently.

Here, the lineage splits into Upper & Lower systems of transmission according to the geographical location in which it was transmitted.

The Upper System of Transmission:
42. Gugé Loden, He received the teachings from Pöngyal Tsenpo in an area near Mount Tisé. As a youth, he worked as a goatherd and had often dreamt of a blue cuckoo speaking to him. One day, he watched as a cuckoo descended from the sky near him. Going closer, instead of a bird, he found a yogi in a blue robe. This was Pöngyal Tsenpo.
43. Pureng Kunga, He practiced in the area of Mount Tisé. By following his lama’s guidance on Dzogchen, he attained realization in one month.
44. Naljor Sechok, He had the power to prolong his life span and displayed many miracles.
45. Kyungji Mutur, He was a wandering yogi without any particular place of practice.
46. Dewa Ringmo
47. Tokmé Zhikpo, He lived most of his life in a cave. He gave the full transmission to Yangtön Sherap Gyaltsen. This same lama also received the full transmission of the Lower system of transmission. In this way, he reunited the two transmissions.

The Lower System of Transmission:
48. Lhundrup Mutur
49. Shengyal Lhatse, He lived for 113 years.
50. Lhagom Karpo, He lived for 97 years.
51. Ngodrup Gyaltsen, He was the son of Lhagom Karpo. He asked his father for teachings but his father refused and told him that he had performed a divination that indicated that his son was not a good candidate. Ngodrup then abandoned his wife and child and went to study with a Buddhist. Soon after this, his father reconsidered his decision and agreed to teach him. He lived for 73 years.
52. Orgom Kündul, Few Bönpo followers sought teachings from him but many Buddhist practitioners sought him out. He lived for 80 years.
The Upper and Lower Systems of Transmission reunite in the person of Yangtön Sherap Gyaltsen
53. Yangtön Sherap Gyaltsen, He was born into the prestigious Yangtön lineage of Dolpo, Nepal. He lived and taught during the 11th century. He received the full transmissions of both the Upper and the Lower Systems of Transmission and therefore united the transmissions. Out of compassion, he wrote down some of the teachings as well as commentaries. According to prophecy, his life span was to be 75 years but due to writing down the secret teachings, he died at the age of 63.

Here, the lineage splits again into the Southern and the Northern Lineage.


Below is the list of the lamas of the southern Lineage of Transmission.


The 5 Masters of the Mantra and the Mind: These 5 masters held the transmission of both the precepts as well as the practice of the yidam and protector:Zhang Zhung Meri

54. Dampa Bumjé, He spread the Bön teachings in the areas of Dolpo, Mustang and Western Tibet. His father was Yangtön Sherap Gyaltsen. After his death, Dampa received teachings from his mother. Because of his extraordinary meditative experiences, he added his own teachings to those of his father in the Experiential Transmission.
55. Lu Drakpa Tashi Gyaltsen, He was also a son to Yangtön Sherap Gyaltsen. Unlike his brother, he was a wandering yogi. He lived for 85 years.
56. Tokden Wonpo Yeshe Gyaltsen, His mother was Yangtön Sherap Gyaltsen’s daughter. His father was a bandit and he joined him in his exploits. One day, he father was killed during a fight and he was badly wounded. Once he recovered, he began to seek revenge. After some time had passed, he became tired with fighting and went to his uncle, Dampa Bumjé, to learn to read so that he could read the scriptures. However, his progress was slow and he went to his other uncle, Lu Drakpa, and asked for teachings that didn’t require the ability to read. Having received the teachings of the Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyü, he practiced and attained realization.
57. Yangtön Gyaltsen Rinchen, From the age of 8 until 21, he practiced tantra. At the age of 21, he received the Dzogchen teachings. He founded the monastery of Samling in Dolpo, Nepal.
58. Chikchö Depa Sherap, He is also known as Tokden Depa Sherap. He practiced in the area of Mount Tisé among other places.
59. Druchen Gyalwa Yungdrung, 1242-1290. He was one of 4 brothers and received monk’s vows from his older brother. He was once the abbot of Yeru Wensaka Monastery which was founded by his family. He organized the practices of the Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyü into a widely used practice manual commonly known as the Chak Tri. He wrote many prayers, ritual guides and commentaries. Fearing that the Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung might be lost, Yangton Sherab Gyaltsen committed the transmission to the written word.

This united lineage continued down for 14 generations to Dru chen Gyalwa Yungdrung (1242-1290), also known simply as Dru Gyalwa. He composed a practice manual (phyag khrid) at the Yeru Wensakha monastery.

60. Ripa Sherap Lodro, He was from Dolpo and traveled a great deal throughout Tibet.
61.Yeshé Rinchen
62. Rangdrol Lama Gyaltsen, He frequently debated Buddhist monks including Je Tsongkhapa.
63. A Tok Sherap Gyaltsen, He was the personal attendant to Dru Gyalwa Yungdrung. He showed many signs of realization and lived for 120 years.
64. Kartsa Sonam Lodro


The Transmissions for both the Southern and the Northern Lineages reunite in the person of Patön Tengyal Zangpo:

65. Patön Tengyal Zangpo, He showed many signs of realization and is said to have circumambulated Mount Tisé in the form of a vulture.
66. Tokden Shepal
67. Namkha Özer
68. Yungdrung Yeshé
69. Rinchen Lodro
70. Nyamme Sherap Gyaltsen, 1356-1415 He founded Tashi Menri Monastery in Tibet. The propagation of this unified Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung continued at Yeru Wensakha monastery for another hundred years to Rinchen Lodro during whose time the monastery was destroyed by a flood in 1386. A student at Yeru Wensakha, Nyam Me Sherab Gyaltsen, later built a new monastery named Tashi Menri. The abbots of Tashi Menri then propagated this tradition for 33 generations over a period of 700 years.
71. Rinchen Gyaltsen
72. Namkha Yeshé
73. Kunzang Gyaltsen
74. Tsultrim Gyaltsen
75. Sonam Yeshé
76. Sonam Yungdrung
77. Shetsu Drungmu
78. Sherap Özer
79. Yungdrung Gyaltsen
80. Sherap Lodro
81. Sherap Özer
82. Tsukpü Özer
83. Yungdrung Tsultrim
84. Rinchen Özer
85. Rinchen Lhundrup
86. Sherap Tenzin
87. Sherap Wangyal
88. Yungdrung Wangyal
89. Püntsok Namgyal
90. Sherap Gonggyal
91. Nyima Tenzin
92. Choklé Namgyal
93. Sherap Yungdrung
94. Sanggye Tenzin
95. Tenzin Tsultrim
96. Gyalwa Lodro
97. Tenpa Lodro
98. Nyima Wanggyal
99. Sherap Lodro
100. Sanggye Tenzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak
101. Lungtok Tenpé Nyima, the 33rd holder of the golden throne of Menri Monastery. One of the principal Lopon of Menri, Sangye Tenzin (1912-1978), then passed these teachings to Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche (b. 1920) and Geshe Lungtok Tenzin Gelek (b. 1970).


Geshe Lungtok Tenzin Gelek: ( the author )

* Geshe Degree (Doctor of Philosophy), Tibetan Bön Academy of Philosophy, Menri Monastery, India, 1996
* Teacher of Bön secret tantric tradition Dance for 6 years, Menri Monastery, India, 1986-1991
* Tibetan Bön Philosophy Lecturer, Central University for Tibetan Studies (CUTS), Varanasi, India, 1996-2009 * Tibetan language Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) at the Centre School for Tibetan Dholanji, H.P., India, 2011-2014

[kalden yungdrung]

Tashi delek,



By; Chapur Rinpoche


About the 21 Nails:

One of the innermost secret teachings from the Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyud (Aural Transmission of Zhang Zhung). Each of the 21 nails describes an essential point of Dzogchen practice – Directly cutting through doubts about one’s Natural State by tracing the Nature of Mind back to its Source.

The teaching of the 21 Nails is a direct expression of Enlightenment – our Natural Mind. Each Nail describes this Natural State from a different point of view.

The views are called “Nails” or “Seals” because they stabilize ones experiential understanding of the Natural State.

These teachings are said to have come directly from the Primordial Buddha, Küntu Zangpo, who then passed them down by direct mind-to-mind Transmission to 8 successive Buddhas.

It was then transmitted orally to 24 human Bön Lineage Holders, all of whom were Yogis and Siddhas who achieved the Rainbow Light Body.

In the 7th century Gyerpung Nangzher Lodpo set down the teachings in writing for the first time in the Zhang Zhung language after receiving them from Tapihritsa, the 25th Zhang Zhung Master, during their third and final encounter.

This Teaching has been transmitted in an unbroken succession of Lineage Holders down to our Teachers of the present day.

[kalden yungdrung]

Tashi delek.

The Dzogchen section of the Zhangzhung Nyengyu is itself divided into 2 sets of works:

- The 4 Cycles of the Oral Transmission (bKa'rgyud skor bzhi), which was transmitted by the Upper lineage
(stod lugs)
- The Experiential Transmission (Nyams rgyudJ, which was transmitted by the Lower lineage (smad lugs).

==================

By Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpochee


The Kagyud Korzhi.

There are 4 chapters. Why do we have four chapters? The first is the Chi Tawa Chichii or external chapter.

This first chapter:
Compares [Dzogchen] with the other Nine Ways, one by one, starting from down below, the Chashen Thegpa or the beginning, the Way of Chashen. This chapter discusses the views, understanding and practices of the other Ways. Then their views are compared with the Dzogchen View.

The difference is that Dzogchen [View] is close to the Nature and this other one, the Chashen view, is not very close to Nature.

But it is very helpful for beings [as it teaches things] like healing or medicine or divination - many things can be helpful but they are not the essential practice or what is needed essentially. So then it goes on like this, with the second, third Way and so on, and each of them is compared with Dzogchen. This is explained in the first chapter, and therefore it is called 'external.' 'Chi' means external, so here it is making comparisons with other views. That is explained and each of the Nine Ways is compared with Dzogchen [so we can realize] how Dzogchen is excellent and closer to Nature while the rest of them are not so close to Nature, although they can be helpful for the time being. That is the external chapter, Chi.


The second chapter:
Is Nang Mengag Marthri which means inner or direct Teachings of Dzogchen. That explains how to recognize Nature [and how it is] generally [related to] the beings' perception and consciousness. That is the inner chapter.


The third chapter:
Is the secret one [Sangwa Rigpa Cherthong]. Once you have realized Nature, this chapter explains its qualities Kadag and Lhundrub. It also explains how, if you are presently alive, it is connected with the senses, consciousness and so on. All these things are taught in this chapter.


The fourth chapter:[ Yangsang Naylug Phugcho]
Is specially for what happens if you practise, what the final goal is, and how to understand the environment or existence, how to understand phenomenal existence, even your own living conditions, how to be integrated with Dzogchen or Nature; everything is explained directly, purely and finally goes to the truth. So that is the last chapter.

[kurt.keutzer]

Translated by:

Kurt Keutzer, Lopon Trinley Nyima and Geshe Chaphur Lhundup
Edited by Mark Dahlby and Gayatri Brughera
Gyalshen Institute

=========================

ZZNG Masters - 00.jpg




INVOCATION
སྙན་རྒྱུད་བླ་མ་རྣམས་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། དཔོན་གསས་བླ་མ་རྣམས་ཀྱི་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། གང་ཟག་གི་སྙན་དུ་རྒྱུད་པའི་གདམས་པ་ལ། ཉི་ཤུ་རྩ་བཞིའི་དགོངས་པ་བྱེ་བྲག་ཏུ་བཤད་པ་ནི། རྣམ་པ་བཞི་ཡི་སྟོན་ཏེ། ལ་ཟླ་ལྔའི་ཕྱི་ནང་གི་ཐག་བཅད་པ་དང་། དོན་དྲུག་༼གི་༽གིས་གོང་འོག་གི་གདར་ཤ་བཅད་པ་དང་། གདམ་པ་དགུའི་ཡིད་ཆེས་ཁོང་དུ་བཅུད་པ་དང་། ༼ཨུ་རྒྱན༽དབུ་རྒྱན་བཞི་ཡིས་ལྟ་སྒོམ་ངོ་བཟུང་བའོ།


I prostrate to the masters of the Aural Transmission. May I be blessed by the master-sages. With regard to the instructions of the Aural Transmission of the individual [masters], the explanation of the unique intention (dgongs pa) of each of the twenty-four [masters] is revealed in four parts:
1. Arriving at the certainty of the 5 resolute ones with regard to inner and outer.
2. Definitively understanding the prior and latter through the 6 [who understood] the principles [of Dzogchen].
3. Thoroughly understanding through the confidence of the 9 instructions.
4. Recognizing view and meditation through the 4 crown [instructions].

====================



དེ་ལ་དང་པོ་ལ་ཟླ་ལྔ་ནི།
As for the first, the [instructions of] the 5 resolute (la bzla) ones:



ལྷ་བོན་ཡོངས་སུ་དག་པས་རང་གི་སེམས་ཉིད་འདི།
རྫོགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ནམ་མཁའི་མཐའ་ལ་ ལ་ཟླ་སྟེ།
དེ་ཡང་བསམ་གྱི་མི་ཁྱབ་པ་གསུམ་ལ་ཟླ་བ་ནི།
ལྟ་བ་བསམ་༼གྱི་༽གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་པ།
སྒོམ་པ་བསམ་༼གྱི་༽གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་པ།
སྤྱོད་པ་བསམ་༼གྱི་༽གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་པ།
འབྲས་བུ་ནམ་མཁའ་དང་མཚུངས་པར་ལ་ཟླའོ།



ZZNG Masters - Lhabön Yongsu Dakpa 01.jpg

1. Lhabön Yongsu Dakpa [says]:

The nature of my mind, Dzogchen,
Is, without a doubt, the limitless sky.

Moreover, there are 3 inconceivable certainties:
- Inconceivable view,
- Inconceivable meditation,
- Inconceivable conduct.

The fruition is similarly certain [to be] like the sky.

you should try to find a (better) translation for the last half of the last sentence: ་མཚུངས་པར་ལ་ཟླའོ།

As a background, over the 15+ years that I have translated and retranslated this text, the translation of the teachings of the give la zla ba masters have always been the most problematic, because, as has been highlighted here, of the key term "la zla ba."
In my first translation, accompanying a teaching my Loppon Thinley Nyima, I included extensive notes on my translation choices.
Loppon insisted that these notes not be published as it looked too much like a modern written commentary on the text, which is not allowed for these core texts from the Aural Transmission of Zhang Zhung.

As for the topic at hand, I have discussed the term la zla ba with many lamas and western translators and scholars of Dzogchen. Literally this term means "go over (zla)" a mountain pass (la)." So why did I use terms linked to "certainty" to translate "la zla ba"? Because Loppon Thinley Nyima and many other lamas all agreed that it meant precisely thag chod pa. Now thag chod pa surely does not mean "transcend." It means that a topic has been decided on or is certain.

On the other hand, Jean-Luc Achard, who is a great scholar of this material, and Dzogchen generally, insists that the proper translation of la zla ba in this context is "transcend."

So, trying to reconcile these two notions, I have the sense that, informally speaking, la zla ba conveys the notion that "this topic is behind me now." Now, when a topic is behind you, that can be due to the fact that you've come to certainty about it, or, it can also mean that you've also just dropped it, or transcended it. This precise semantic range is included in the Tibetan.

So, that all adds up to that perhaps "resolved" is a better translation of "la zla ba." The word "resolve" can connote a decision, or it can connote a dissolution. The only thing I don't like about resolved is that "The Five Resolved Masters" sounds to me like five masters who are on a mission to accomplish something. This is the opposite of "that's behind me now." It has the association, this is ahead of me now and I'm resolved to accomplish it.

Sigh. So the real solution is everyone must learn Tibetan and not rely on translations!
Kind regards, Kurt

[lelopa]

As a background, over the 15+ years that I have translated and retranslated this text, the translation of the teachings of the give la zla ba masters have always been the most problematic, because, as has been highlighted here, of the key term "la zla ba."
In my first translation, accompanying a teaching my Loppon Thinley Nyima, I included extensive notes on my translation choices.
Loppon insisted that these notes not be published as it looked too much like a modern written commentary on the text, which is not allowed for these core texts from the Aural Transmission of Zhang Zhung.

As for the topic at hand, I have discussed the term la zla ba with many lamas and western translators and scholars of Dzogchen. Literally this term means "go over (zla)" a mountain pass (la)." So why did I use terms linked to "certainty" to translate "la zla ba"? Because Loppon Thinley Nyima and many other lamas all agreed that it meant precisely thag chod pa. Now thag chod pa surely does not mean "transcend." It means that a topic has been decided on or is certain.

On the other hand, Jean-Luc Achard, who is a great scholar of this material, and Dzogchen generally, insists that the proper translation of la zla ba in this context is "transcend."

So, trying to reconcile these two notions, I have the sense that, informally speaking, la zla ba conveys the notion that "this topic is behind me now." Now, when a topic is behind you, that can be due to the fact that you've come to certainty about it, or, it can also mean that you've also just dropped it, or transcended it. This precise semantic range is included in the Tibetan.

So, that all adds up to that perhaps "resolved" is a better translation of "la zla ba." The word "resolve" can connote a decision, or it can connote a dissolution. The only thing I don't like about resolved is that "The Five Resolved Masters" sounds to me like five masters who are on a mission to accomplish something. This is the opposite of "that's behind me now." It has the association, this is ahead of me now and I'm resolved to accomplish it.

Sigh. So the real solution is everyone must learn Tibetan and not rely on translations!
Kind regards, Kurt

Thank you very, very much for clarifying this.... sigh!