Yes, I’m familiar with the Semdzins, I have both (all three if we count PV?) of ChNNs works on them. I’ve certainly made use of them and don’t doubt their efficacy…but:Malcolm wrote: ↑Wed May 17, 2023 3:22 pmThe term semzin is a translation of the term dharāṇa, as as it sounds, it is a prelude to dhyāna and samādhi.Johnny Dangerous wrote: ↑Tue May 16, 2023 8:53 pm
Also I’m skeptical as to a distinction between developing trekchod based on semdzins vs. shine. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen techniques like gazing on the white ah actually called a semdzin somewhere.
So, I don’t really get the functional distinction other than Semdzins being more entertaining and interesting than traditional Shine techniques. I don’t mean that facetiously, more entertaining often means more engaging…but I don’t really get the distinction outside of this or that (maybe hyperbolic) claim of greater efficacy..
There are twenty-one semzins mentioned explicitly in the the Dzogchen tantras and there is a smaller subset identified by . They are divided into three groups: the first group of seven are for placing the mind in a calm state; the second group of seven are for parting mind and body; and the third group of seven are for entering into dharmatā. Then there is rushan practice. But as I already mentioned, Longchenpa criticizes the approach of normative śamatha and vipaśyanā, which is object-bases. You might object, the semzins are object based as well. However, the semszin are structured in a logical sequence which indeed is more efficient, and allow one to easily discover the natural dhyāna of rig pa, which after all is the point.
This is far more effective than trying to achieve perfect śamatha, which is still based in mind, and is without any method of nakedly exposing rig pa.
In some teachings it seems like one achieves shamatha only up to point of recognition, or just developing enough stability to facilitate recognition…in that case I don’t really see a difference between using the Semdzins or whatever shamatha method beyond technique preference.
If someone is saying achievement of perfect Shamatha is a pre requisite for Dzogchen I can see the complaint, but not even BAW does that.